Northern Feather Duster Worm
Eudistylia vancouveri
Marine Invertebrates
Rocky subtidal habitat with moving water
iNaturalist records: 2022-2023
Meet this species
Northern feather duster worms live permanently within protective tubes and extend elaborate crowns of tentacles into the surrounding water. Those feathery structures are used to capture suspended food while also functioning in gas exchange. Seven observations across 2022 and 2023 make them another repeatedly documented component of the Greene Point underwater community.
Northern feather duster worm extending its feathery feeding crown underwater near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Look for a feathery crown extending from a tube attached to rock or another firm surface. The feeding crown may be reddish, brown, orange or banded and can disappear rapidly into the tube when the animal is disturbed.
Why It Matters Here:
Feather duster worms make the relationship between current and animal life especially visible. Instead of pursuing food, these animals remain attached to the seafloor and allow moving seawater to deliver tiny suspended particles directly to them.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.