Polychaetes

Hmmmmm?

While walking along a strip of beach in Galveston, we saw several of these odd-looking, tubular, things made of itty-bitty-shell-pieces nested together with some sea foam and sand.  

  

We thought, perhaps, crab poop?

So, I turned to my new pal, Greg S. Ph. D. of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University.

Apparently, these cool creations are the homes of the polychaete...an annelid, or worm.  

Also Known As The Bristle Worm.

Polychaetes are multi-segmented worms living in all of the world's oceans.  They are about the width of a pencil and move very slowly.  Each segment has four dense clusters of bristles with grips and hooks called chaeta...thus the name 'polychaeta."

These particular worms, which are termed sedentary polychaetes, feed from permanent tubes or burrows.  

Here is A polychaete...maybe not THE polychaete, as there are many varieties. 

Indian Corn, or  a couple of polychaeta and some sea grass?

 Now, if I could just string them and make some jewelry.