Rock With Honeycomb Worm Colonies Sandymouth Beach Cornwall
by Richard Brookes
Title
Rock With Honeycomb Worm Colonies Sandymouth Beach Cornwall
Artist
Richard Brookes
Medium
Photograph
Description
Interesting rock on beach at Sandymouth beach, Cornwall SW England, UK. The rocks are resistant to erosion and were originally formed after being subjected to massive geological forces which uplifted and folded the horizontal rock layers into vertical structures now eroded into these jagged knife edges that stretch into the Atlantic Ocean. These have proved treacherous for shipping with many shipwrecks being recorded in the area.
The rock also shows structures or reefs being formed by colonies of the honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata. According to web sources honeycomb worms are tiny worms that live in the low tide area beaches. For protection they build sand tubes, attached to the rock to live in. These structures form dense colonies and eventually reefs made up of thousands of individuals. Apparently they require moderate wave action and not sheltered beaches to feed and form reefs.
Fully grown, each worm is around 3-4cm. The colonies however can often cover large areas of rock, forming solid reefs. They feed by filtering particles from sea water.
The top of the rock also has a layer of more common mussels, a bivalve mollusc with its familiar hard, dark blue to blackish elongated shell.
Uploaded
August 22nd, 2021
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