What invertebrate is this?

What could it be? A sea anemone? A jellyfish? Actually it's a polychaete tube worm.

For assistance identifying your beach finds, or any rare or unusual invertebrates, please email SIS@MyFWC.com

Giant Hermit Crab

Hermit crabs use the shells of mollusks as homes and must change shells frequently as they grow.

Fireworm

This polychaete worm is a scavenger that defends itself with venomous spines.

Blue Bell Tunicate

Tunicates, or sea squirts, are chordates that filter food through siphons.

Slipper Lobsters

Unlike the spiny lobster, the antennules of this species are flattened.

Sea Cucumber

Many sea cucumbers filter sand for food.

Pycnogonid

Also known as sea spiders, the pycnogonids of Florida are small and camouflage well in algae.

Is your invertebrate in our Specimen Catalog?

Search the Invertebrate collection catalog by genus or species name to see if your invertebrate is already in our specimen catalog. If it isn't in our catalog and you'd like to donate the specimen to our museum, please keep the specimen on ice and contact the Invertebrate Collection Manager:

Collection Manager
E-mail: InvertColl@MyFWC.com

FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 Eighth Avenue SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5095
Phone: 727-896-8626 ext. 4739
Fax: 727-823-0166