Worm from Beangabang Bay, Indonesia

Lesley - this worm we found during a night dive in Beangabang Bay is pictured in one of the ID books, but is listed as being undescribed. Do you have more current information?

It came out when we used red focus lights to observe its behavior, but shrank back in its tube when white light was used.

Could be Diopatra sp., I'm sure Lesley will know or correct me.

Brian's right (good work Grasshopper).... genus Diopatra, family Onuphidae. Easy ID - 5 antennae, tube builder, and the anterior gills are stalked with small filaments arranged in spirals. None of the other onuphids have spiralled branchiae. There aren't any photo records of this with a species name attached that I know of but I'll look in my literature files. A number of species are described from the region so maybe I can find something. Matt S also photographed this on a prior trip.

One cool thing about Diopatra species is that they're farmers. Many species like to attach algae to their tubes. It gives them camouflage, attracts other animals which they may eat, and they often eat the algae themselves.

I'm not sure if Drew or I ever posted the ones we found in Anilao a few years back - as Leslie mentions they're just about identical, though.

Leslie, I just recalled the ID you gave to the worm I found here http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/brianmayes/2550997544/

So I'm not as smart as you think.