The tentacles are U-shaped in cross-section, having a large ciliated trough along one side. Particles can from time to time be seen moving down the trough toward the mouth.
Another view of the same individual. The light-colored, soft pads on the ventral surface of the thoracic segments are clearly visible on the upper side of the lower (anterior) loop. The uncini can be seen as projections from the parapodia. The extensible feeding tentacles are white and the gills, through which blood can be seen circulating, are red.
In this closup photo of the thorax, the notopodia with capillarynotosetae can be seen on the left and the neuropodia with the single straight rows of uncini can be seen on the left. The white filamentous strands are tentacles. Dorsal is to the left, ventral to the right, anterior is to the top.
Thelepus setosus, about 8 cm long. The tentacles are white and the gills are red. The pads on the ventral side of the thoracic segments are visible on the upper side of the first (thoracic) part of the body, and the narrower abdominal segments are coiled to the right. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2006)
Description: English: Thelepus cincinnatus. "This is a parchment worm that is out of its tube. It is also called a Bristleworm and puts out its tentacles to collect its microscopic food. If you want to learn about worms, sign up for Helminthology.". Date: 4 April 2008. Source: originally uploaded to Flickr as Parchment Worm (Thelepus cincinatus). Author: jkirkhart35. Permission(Reusing this file): CC-BY.
