Art & Design / 01 April, 2012
Spreading
Spirographs | Animal treasures
In nature, things are not always what they seem. Initially, this beautiful organism appears to be a striking flower, but it is really a characteristic and colorful tubeworm. These marine polychaetes, known colloquially as ‘spirographs’, live anchored permanently to the substrate, and are protected from predators by a calcareous tube, which is shelf made after a laborious process. Their gills have astonishing spiral form, used to trap food and, in turn, they serve as a respiratory organ. Many divers are attracted by the delicacy of its figure and when approaching, they cause its beautiful tuft of gills to disappear quickly into the tube.
Banda Sea
8°03'55"S 128°23'56"E
Amortaun, Indonesia