question on Worms

[jb2]

FeedingFrenzy wrote:

Coral worm and mussel worm are the same thing.  The accepted common name for Pseudonereis variegata is actually mussel worm.  However they do also inhabit the reefs formed by colonies of Cape reef worm (Gunnarea capensis) and then they are often referred to as coral worm.  They are the same thing though - mussel worms (as found living in mussel colonies) tend to be harder bodied (thicker skin) and green in colour.  "Coral worm" are softer (because they are living in a more protected environment) and also tend to be brownish or even reddish.

So in essence they are not two different species but just ecotypes of the same species.

The regulations state:  All marine species of the phyla Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, Sipunculida and Annelida, but excluding the genera Arenicola, Nereis, Pseudonereis and Gunnarea

Arenicola (bloodworm) is not included because as Martin has indicated it has its different daily limit (two as opposed to ten).  Nereis is a strange inclusion - I have never encountered any worms of this genus and quite possibly it is a reverting back to the original name (we have numerous Platynereis and and perinereis specie - it could be that some of these have been transferred back to Nereis - I am not au fait with Polychaete taxonomy!)

So regardless of what you call them (shipworm, coral worm, etc) the fact of the matter is that none of them may be collected.

Hi Feedingfrenzy

I had a look at my old edition of "Two Oceans". There is a reference at 19.5d to "Nereis spp." but they are not enumerated.

What I am also struggling with is that the range of the  Cape reef worm Gunnarea overlaps with the range of the Natal reef worm Idanthyrsus.

But I don't see Idanthyrsus on the restricted list. Branch et. al say that the Natal worm has a different type of bristle on his head. (They have a little schematic of the head bristles on the entry at 22.4d)

 -So if you are a fishery control officer you had better have very good training in the bristle structure on reef worm heads if you are going to write a fine

 

[Marthin]

we are talking about the same fisheries control officers that don't know the difference between a limpet and a perlemoen?

 

[jb2]

Marthin wrote:

we are talking about the same fisheries control officers that don't know the difference between a limpet and a perlemoen?

Shame! I feel bad for them sometimes.

I had a stout policewoman waddle over to the boat at Millers last year. She counted 5 yellowtail and filled in "5" on the kreef catch return on the back of my permit and signed it.

She waddled back to the Land Cruiser and drove off. She was so polite and friendly that I didn't have the heart to correct her ::hapi:

segmented worm mouth part morphological distinctions? not so much.

 

[Pslatarix]

dont think they do boep. i have a spot where i get mussel worm under rocks etc not in the coral worm. got a small container full and upon inspection was asked by the greenies where i got it and what worm it was. i replied honestly and was sent on my way. another mate of mine was told that he had wonderworm by the inspector and asked why he had two containers of wondies. we had to remove several worm from each container and show them the various differences. to which they said they had never heard of or seen this "coral" or "mussel worm" .