Description: This worm builds a very distinctive tube made from sand grains and shell fragments with a fringe of rigid tentacle-like stalks at the mouth end and it can be recognised from this tube alone. The worm itself, usually not visible, is 250-300 mm long with 150-300 body segments and it is fragile and soft when not protected by the tube. It has three densely branched, blood red gills. It is pink, yellow or brown unless it is breeding when it changes to a more white or greenish colour. The white tentacles may be visible on the rigid stalks of the tube if the worm is viewed subtidally.

Habitat: Sand, mud or even mud-filled crevices, from on the shore at low water to offshore.

Distribution: Widely distributed around Britain and Ireland. Can occur in great numbers.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Very distinctive tube made up of sand and shell fragments, with rigid tentacle-like stalks at the mouth end.

Distribution Map from NBN: Lanice conchilega at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Lanice conchilega at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Lanice conchilega

WoRMS: Lanice conchilega at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766). AphiaID: 131495.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Annelida; Polychaeta; Sedentaria; Canalipalpata; Terebellida; Terebelliformia; Terebellidae; Terebellinae; Lanicini; Lanice