Tube worm
A tube worm is any worm-like sessile invertebrate that anchors its tail to an underwater surface and secretes around its body a mineral tube, into which it can withdraw its entire body.
Tube worms are found among the following taxa:
- Annelida, the phylum containing segmented worms
- * Polychaetea, the class containing bristle worms
- ** Canalipalpata, the order containing bristle-footed annelids or fan-head worms
- *** Siboglinidae, the family of beard worms
- **** Riftia pachyptila, a species known as giant tube worms
- **** Lamellibrachia, a genus
- *** Serpulidae, a family
- *** Sabellidae, the family containing feather duster worms
- Phoronida, the phylum containing horseshoe worms
- Microconchida, an order of extinct tubeworms
- Kuphus polythalamia, a bivalve mollusc species whose common name is giant tube worm