We got worms!

Well it's that time of the year when I get to go diving with my camera, rather than spending so much time with students.

My crew and i have started diving an area that we call 'Well I Never' for reasons that will become clear! Found this little 'cutie' in the sand, approx 10 - 15ft. We have a serious 'Orinoco Flow' in St. Vincent at the moment, the 'sport' divers aren't so keen, but the awful vis / black water is a blessing for photographers as the night time critters are out and about in the day light hours, hence I found my friend.

It's very small, less than 1 cm across, and i really hope that some one can help with an ID as I can find it in any of the books that I have.

Worm 1

Worm 2

Worm 3

The next worm is a type of Bristle Worm, but again I am unable to locate in the books that I have...

Worm 4

Sorry that the pictures are not so clear, but I don't have a super macro facility, and the really small stuff is, as yet, beyond the capabilities of my current camera!

Thanks!

Hi Kay -- The first three belong to a very nifty species of onuphid polychaete. You only got the head region but there was a lovely photo with more of the body over on DD about 2 years ago. The back is iridescent dark blue crossed with bright white bars and the appendages are gold and white. Unfortunately I've never seen a specimen so I don't know the genus & species. The other one is a species of Chloeia, again without a species name.

Leslie

Kay, I think #4 is the same as mine here and here, but also without species name.

btw. they're all great finds. :-)

Leslie,

Thank you, I knew that you'd be the person to ID the worms, shame that that they don't have a 'common name', but maybe we can give them a local common name.... The first worm is quite common here, but almost impossible to get a picture off as they are usually very shy, I call them Little Things (as they look very similar to 'The Thing'. The fuzzy bristle worm is not so rare either, but I most likely to see them when I don't have my camera... which is always the way!

Brian,

We have a new dive site called 'Well I Never' (Bill calls it something different, but my team and I dived first and introduced him to the spot!), the 2 worms were photographed there on the same dive, along with some other cool stuff too! Hope that you'll come dive with us soon.

Thanks again!

K