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Serpulidae
Natural History
Serpulids occur widely from tropical to polar latitudes and from the intertidal to the deep sea. They may form large colonies on intertidal rocks and structures such pier piles, for example Galeolaria caespitosa which is widespread in southern Australia. Other taxa are solitary, although always attached to hard substrates such as mollusc shells, the carapaces of decapod crustaceans, seagrasses, algae and jetsam. Serpulids are significant as fouling organisms, especially Hydroides elegans and spirorbines.
It reasonable to assume that all serpulids are suspension feeders, but there have been surprisingly few studies of feeding in the family.
Diversity
The Serpulidae comprises over 400 species in 80 genera world-wide. About 88 species and 36 genera are known from Australia.
Description | Identification
tips | Natural History | Diversity
| Checklist | References
| Interactive Key |
Additional genera
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