BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Serpula vermicularis
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Lizzie Tyler	Data supplied by	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
General Biology
Growth form	Vermiform segmented	Feeding method	Passive suspension feeder Active suspension feeder
Mobility/Movement	Permanent attachment	Environmental position	Epifaunal Epibenthic Epilithic
Typical food types	Detritus	Habit	Tubiculous
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	Insufficient information
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Small-medium(3-10cm)
Height	See additional text	Growth Rate	mean of 9 mm of tube/month
Adult dispersal potential	None	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	The tube is attached to hard substrata at the base but in reef aggregations is often free for much of its length. Height above the substratum varies but in reefs individual tubes may reach up to 18 cm, while the reefs themsleves vary between 75 cm and 2 m in hieght (Holt et al., 1998). Sociability Dense aggregations of Serpula vermicularis tubes occur in enclosed and sheltered locations. These dense settlements of larvae on adult tubes may indicate larval gregarity but Bosence (1979(b)) suggests that aggregations only occur in locations with larval retention and few other hard substrates available for larval settlement. In the open marine environment Serpula vermicularis is not normally gregarious. Feeding Serpula vermicularis is a suspension feeder that can actively create its own feeding current and so can inhabit areas with little water movement.
Biology References	Holt et al., 1998, Fish & Fish, 1996, Bosence, 1979(b), Heidi Tillin, unpub data,