Spoon Worms - Maxmuelleria faex

Characteristics:

This spoon worm is similar to green spoon worm, B. viridis, but color is white or light grey. The ribbon-like snout (proboscis) is transparent when stretched out on the sea-floor. The end of the proboscis is not divided in two, but shaped like a single "spoon". The white body is reported to be typically 4 x 1,5 cm and covered by unevenly distributed papillae.

Habitat:

From its digging behavior, similar to the B. viridis, it seems obvious that it prefers sandy or muddy substrate. On the location where the pictures are taken, the bottom is made of very fine sediments from a nearby river. The most shallow observation on this location is 34 meters. Other registrations are made as deep as 3000 meters.

Distribution:

The distribution along the coast of Norway is uncertain. A few registrations have been made off-shore from the Norwegian coast, as well as in some fjords. It is claimed to be a bipolar species, i.e. it exists around the Antarctic as well as in Arctic areas. Hence, one can probably assume that it may be found anywhere along the Norwegian coast.