Christmas tree worms live in tubes. The tube that the Christmas tree worm lives in is like a shell that the Christmas tree worm builds on the surface of a coral.
The Christmas tree worm at times sticks its head out of the tube. The Christmas tree worm has the radioles, which are seen on the twin Christmas trees. These radioles are like the antennae on the Christmas tree worms head. In order to breathe the Christmas tree worm uses these antennae to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the water and filter plankton out of the water for food.
Like many kinds of invertebrates the Christmas tree worm also takes shelter under the corals. The Christmas tree worm at the beginning builds a tube at the surface of the coral and slowly and gradually as the coral grows the Christmas tree worm buries the tube in the skeleton of the coral.
During times of danger the Christmas tree worm can in an instant pull its head down into its tube. The Christmas tree worm is protected only when its head is showing. The Christmas tree worm is round and colonial and represents a Christmas tree or a pair of Christmas trees. The Christmas tree worms come in a variety of colors like yellow, pink, blue, red, white, gray and brown. These colors appear in feathery gills and extend outward.
The Christmas tree worm has gills that act as a breathing mechanism for the worms. When nutritious food gets stuck on these gills it can be funneled down the spirals to the worms mouth. The gills of the Christmas tree worm are covered in sticky mucus.
The Christmas tree worms are very sensitive to disturbances and even a slight passing of a shadow can cause a defensive reaction. The Christmas tree worms don't stay hidden too long and emerge slowly out to show themselves. The Christmas tree worms being of various colors provide photographers with a variety of choices for taking photos. It is a challenge to capture the images of these Christmas tree worms in a camera as they have a very sensitive movement in the water. The Christmas tree worms are fascinating as they keep one occupied watching them for long hours.
|
