Red-spotted Horseshoe
Protula tubularia
Special features
The small palm trees of the underwater world are very sensitive animals; As soon as they feel the slightest impulse on their tentacles, they quickly retreat into their protective tube.
Appearance
Their tube is up to 15cm long and up to 10mm in diameter.
Typically, the back part of the tube sits firmly against the substrate while the front end is free.
Its beautiful crown consists of two interlocking funnel-shaped to spiral-shaped tentacle straps.
Their colors vary from white to orange to red.
Natural enemies
None
Dangerous/Venomous
This species of Tubeworms are neither dangerous nor poisonous.
Sketch
1. Interlocking funnel-shaped to spiral-shaped tentacles
2. Solid lime tube
Pro tips
The different types of this species of Tubeworms (Protula sp. ) are barely distinguishable from one another, even specialists find it difficult to identify these peculiar tiny animals.
In contrast to other families of their genus, they can be identified by the fact that they are the only ones with a solid tube, while those of the other families are soft and rubbery.
Their tentacle crown serves them as a fine-meshed fishing device for plankton.
Text: Felician Hosp, Carolina Leiter
Illustration: Dive Dict
Pic: Dive Dict
