Ecology
Echiurans in general are cryptic animals as they settle inside boulders as larvae and spend their lives hidden inside. Bonellia viridis only stick their proboscis out to feed and are more active at night. This reduces their chances to be fed on by predators. The proboscis is very thin and the green bonellin makes it visible.
They can be found in the shallow waters all over the reef, living in coral boulders. However, they might also be living in deeper waters of the reef, as they can be found at depth up to 450 meters in the Mediterranean sea (Hughes et al. 1999).
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Photo by Lucie Malard
Bonellia viridis extended proboscis sticking out of a dead coral boulder
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Photo by Lucie Malard
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Photo by Lucie Malard
Cryptic proboscis in sediments |