European Fan Worm, Sabella spallanzanii, at the P29 in Cirkewwa, Malta, Mediterranean Sea.
European fan worm at the fan worm at the Fan Worm, Sabella spallanzanii, is a rather large species of the family of Sabellidae. It can reach a maximum length of 40 cm, sometimes bigger in deeper waters. Fan worms are filter-feeder that uses their head filaments to filtrate the surrounding waters for plankton. Sabella spallanzanii is named after the biologist Lazzaro Spallanzani during the 18th century. Common names include Mediterranean fanworm, feather duster and pencil worm. Original habitats are found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, but the fanworm has spread its distribution throughout marine environments worldwide and is therefore listed as invasive species in other parts of the world. The P29 was originally called Boltenhagen (GS09) built in East Germany and used as a minesweeper before the reunification of East and West Germany. Malta purchased the ship in 1997 and renamed it to P29 as a patrol boat in the fight against smuggling at sea. Ten years later the P29 became a dive site attraction in a depth of 35 m off Cirkewwa in the North of Malta and is now one of the most popular diving destinations of the Maltese Islands.
Size: 3648px × 5472px
Location: Cirkewwa, Mellieha, Malta
Photo credit: © Rasmus Loeth Petersen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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