Description: This fan worm has a long, thin body, usually orange, yellow or grey-yellow in colour, that reaches up to 300 mm long and 4 mm wide. It is made up of up to 300 segments. It has a large crown of feathery tentacles (radioles) arranged in two groups. One side of the large crown of radioles is occasionally bigger than the other. Most abdominal chaetae in tight tufts, arranged in a spiral. The radioles are webbed basally and usually banded with red, purple or brown. This worm lives in long, thin muddy tube, that is flexible and has a smooth surface.

Habitat: On stones in sand or mud, sometimes on hard substrata e.g. wrecks or pontoons. Usually sublittoral but occasionally found at low water mark.

Distribution: Found on all coasts around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: There are some small sabellids appearing in harbours and marinas that are very similar in appearance to a small Sabella pavonina however DNA results indicate these are not juveniles but a separate species.

Key Identification Features:

• Long thin worm that lives in a flexible muddy tube.
• Large crown of radioles that are usually banded in red, purple or brown.
• Abdominal chaetae mostly in tight tufts and arranged in a spiral.

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

iNaturalist: Sabella pavonina at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Sabella pavonina

WoRMS: Sabella pavonina at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Sabella pavonina Savigny, 1822. AphiaID: 130967.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Annelida; Polychaeta; Sedentaria; Canalipalpata; Sabellida; Sabellidae; Sabellinae; Sabella