Recently, our Seagrass Project Officer Alex Gibson had the opportunity to fly to Perth to attend a marine polychaete (worm) taxonomy course at Murdoch University, led by senior curators and scientists from the Australian Museum and Museums Victoria.

Participants learned how to recognise Australian marine worm families during a series of lectures and practical laboratory sessions, covering worm ecology, physical form and reproduction.

A lab full of worm expertise: Anna Murray and Chris Glasby (the Australian Museum), Andrew Hosie (Western Australian Museum), James Tweedey (Murdoch University), Elena Kupriyanova and Pat Hutchings (The Australian Museum), Ana Hara (Western Australian Museum), Robin Wilson (Museums Victoria). Photo: Alex Gibson.

Freshly collected and preserved specimens were provided, and ‘BYO’ worms were also welcomed! Alex brought along Broome’s common mudflat dweller, the green paddle worm. This worm is sometimes mistaken for Phyllodoce novaehollandia, however inspection of the worm’s throat organ revealed it was in fact P. malmgreni.

A green paddle worm in Roebuck Bay. Photo: Victoria de Bryun.

The training was an opportunity to expand networks, meet scientists and fellow worm enthusiasts, and gain skills in worm identification to enhance understanding of benthic ecosystems.

Making up around 70% of all the species of invertebrates living in the mud of Roebuck Bay, worms play a big part in the diet of our migratory shorebirds, as well as other predators such as crabs, molluscs and fish. Their high numbers and biomass support these higher levels of the food web, which allows energy to be transferred through the food chain and helps support the overall health and biodiversity of our marine ecosystems.

Terebellidae – found on coral reefs and within seagrass beds, often living within a hard tube. Here you can distinguish their curly red gills from their long feeding tentacles. Photo: Betty Yu, Murdoch University.

Next time you are exploring mudflats or reefs, take a closer look at our worm friends down there. You’ll start to notice the intricate details in worm forms and functions. As many species are still undescribed, there is much we are yet to learn about the diversity of worms under our footsteps!

Look at the long chetae (hairs) of this fire worm (family Amphinomidae). The name comes from the pain inflicted if you get one of these hairs on your skin! Photo: Alex Gibson.

While in Perth, Alex also attended a seagrass marine heatwave response working group meeting at Edith Cowan University. This was an opportunity for scientists, government, Traditional Owners and community groups from across WA to discuss how to coordinate responses in the event of marine heatwaves impacting seagrass.

Volunteers capture data on sea worms during seagrass surveys. Photo: Alex Gibson.

The meeting highlighted knowledge gaps around how Kimberley seagrasses might respond to marine heatwaves; for example, what is the highest temperature Kimberley species can withstand?

We look forward to learning more about ways of protecting our region’s seagrass meadows in this rapidly changing climate.

- Adapted from an article by Alex Gibson that first appeared in the December 2025 edition of EK News.