HRAP Online Encyclopedia

Marine Worms

Although similar in appearance, worms belong to many different phyla, meaning that different types of worms are far more distantly related than they appear. At Haystack Rock, we see worms from four main phyla. Marine worms play multiple roles in the ecosystem including predators, prey, parasites, and decomposers that scavenge for dead animal and plant material. Below are overviews and commonly seen species of the worm phyla found at Haystack Rock.