Chaetopterus variopedatus
Parchment worms live buried in the sand. Their location is obvious as it leaves tube shaped mounds on the surface. The worm lives in a u-shaped parchment-like tube with each end extending above the surface. At one end is a shovel-like mouth that has fan like structures to pump water containing plankton and other organic material thru the subsurface tube. As the water and nutrients are moved thru the body a mucous film forms a bag-like filter. When the filter reaches a certain size it forms a ball and is moved to the mouth. The remaining material continues to the animals anus end and is expelled on the surface.
Two species of filter feeding crustaceans are almost always found in Tube Worms. In addition, another crustacean and two species of shell-less gastropods are sometimes present. They feed on the mucus net or the feces of the worm.
Live shells should never be taken from any Florida State Park.