Magnificent feather duster
Sabellastarte magnifica
(Shaw, 1800)

Description:
Of all feather dusters in the area, this is by far the largest with a double, circular crown of radioles up to 10 cm. The crown is colored in shades of brown with several series of spots forming bands of brown with light spots. The coloring of the pattern is highly variable, and can range from brown to dark purple, mahogany, gold or tan. The tube where the rest of the animal resides is parchment-like, and often hidden in recesses or embedded in the coral.
Size: whole animal up to 13 cm, crown up to 10 cm.

Habitat:
Lives on reefs, sand and gravel bottoms and from coral heads.
Depth: ranges from 3 m down to 20 m.

Distribution:
Common all over the Caribbean.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Annelida
Class Polychaeta
Genus Sabellastarte
Species Sabellastarte magnifica

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Sabellastarte magnifica (Shaw, 1800)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Magnificent feather duster [English]

Humann, P., 1992. Reef Creature Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas, (ed. N. Deloach). New World Publications, Inc., Paramount Miller Graphics, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

Voss, G.L., 1976. Seashore life of Florida and the Carribbean. Banyan Books, Inc. Miami, Florida.

You can continue searching for Sabellastarte magnifica on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

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