Naididae worm mud tubes in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/1/2017). These strange non-living tubes were in a section of a puddle of a muddy unused road covering about 1 square meter. The tubes were about 5 cm high and had a diameter of about 1mm. Each tube consists of a hollow tube with a hole at the top. I collected some for closer examination and their construction reminded me of the tubes made by various types of invertebrates. With the help of Charley Eiseman and Bill Harms, it was determined that the mud tubes were created by an Annelida worm, in the family Naididae (possibly an Aulodrilus species).
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"The Naididae (formerly known as Tubificidae) are a family of clitellate oligochaete worms... They are key components of the benthic communities of many freshwater and marine ecosystems" (Wikipedia, 2017).
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Naididae worm mud tubes in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/1/2017). These strange non-living tubes were in a section of a puddle of a muddy unused road covering about 1 square meter. The tubes were about 5 cm high and had a diameter of about 1mm. Each tube consists of a hollow tube with a hole at the top. I collected some for closer examination and their construction reminded me of the tubes made by various types of invertebrates. With the help of Charley Eiseman and Bill Harms, it was determined that the mud tubes were created by an Annelida worm, in the family Naididae (possibly an Aulodrilus species).
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Richard Orr.