Yesterday, the sabellid featherduster worms, Eudistylia polymorpha, were probably going to town in the particulate-laden surge of the underwater arch. Some interesting tidbits about these polychaete worms: The worm’s head is concealed beneath its “feathers”, which are actually gills that serve additional purposes besides respiration. By waving its gills, the worm creates small vortices which direct food particles onto the sticky tentacles. Also, the gills are lined with eyespots (seen here) which are very sensitive to approaching danger.

The serpulid worm, Serpula vermicularis, is another polychaete. Serpula secretes a calcareous tube, which can be sealed with an operculum for additional protection.

Navanax inermis was on the prowl.

Although we've seen a total of 14 species of nudibranch on White Point Rock, Triopha catalina was the predominant nudi there today.

I saw half-a-dozen Atagema alba, but most were flattened into crevices or burrowing into bryozoans.

We've only begun to reveal all the different invertebrates on this oasis.

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