Photo of the day

Every coral reef in the world is home to its own unique combination of ocean life. One of the sea creatures you can find nestled on some reefs is the Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), named for its spindly, festive, and fir-like appearance. Christmas tree worms have feather-like tentacles called “radioles” attached to their tubular spines, which are designed to catch food when it passes by. Their usual diet is microscopic plants and animals, which makes sense given Christmas tree worms’ average size is only a pocket-sized 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches)! Once a Christmas tree worm has found a colorful coral home for itself, it barely moves throughout the rest of its lifetime, so healthy, abundant reefs are vital for the survival of this species.