A slime-tube feather duster (Myxicola infundibulum) can retract very quickly into its soft tube if disturbed when approached, leaving a jelly-like substance at the surface. I moved my camera very slowly towards these two hoping they wouldn’t pull their standard disappearing act, and was lucky enough to get a good photograph. This worm lives in sandy or fine shell litter areas, and also rock crevices. Its exposed crown is very efficient at gathering food suspended in the surrounding water. The slime-tube feather duster can have a crown diameter of 1.2 inches (3 cm), with a range from northern Alaska to California.
