All printables
Christmas Tree Worm — printable fact sheet
Free to print or save as PDF. Great for classrooms, homeschooling, and young explorers.
Creature Atlas
Animal Fact Sheet
Name: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Christmas Tree Worm
Spirobranchus giganteus
The Christmas Tree Worm is a small, tube-building polychaete worm found on coral reefs around the world. Named for its distinctive and brightly colored spiral plumes, which resemble tiny Christmas trees, these structures are actually specialized mouthparts used for respiration a…
Did you know?
- If threatened, the Christmas Tree Worm can retract its plumes into its tube in less than a second to avoid predators.
- Christmas Tree Worms can live for over a decade safely hidden in their coral homes. Their spiral 'trees' are actually radioles, feathery appendages used for both breathing and catching plankton. Despite their small size, they play a valuable role in reef ecosystems by helping to keep the water clean.
What I learned
Draw the christmas tree worm
© Creature Atlas · www.creatureatlas.com · Free for classroom & personal use
Want the whole set?
Get printable fact-sheet packs, coloring pages, and classroom worksheet bundles for dozens of animals — ready to download and print.
Browse printable packsGet a free printable each week
Join the newsletter for a new Creature of the Week + printables.