Physical Description

The terebellidae worms (spaghetti worms) are characterized by having multiple grooved palps that are easily seen extending out on the substrate in marine benthic environments,the tentacles can be brightly coloured such as the worm body. Terebellidae worms can length over 240mm and have their body commonly separated in two distinct portions, the anterior portion is called Thorax which is composed of a few anterior chaetous segments, plus further segments with only notopodia only and posterior region is the abdomen which is indicated by the presence of neuropodia.

Sample of Loimia sp. collected in Heron Island by Marine Invertebrates course staff 
Photo by Patricia Lobo

Terebellidae family characteristics.
Image extracted from Rouse & Pleijel, Polychaetes.