Trumpet Worm Pectinaria gouldii
Trumpet Worm Pectinaria gouldii

Trumpet Worm (Pectinaria gouldii)

from $150.00
Quantity:

Gould’s Trumpet Worm (Pectinaria gouldii)
Please Note: This is a live marine specimen.

The Gould’s Trumpet Worm (Pectinaria gouldii), also called the Ice Cream Worm, is a fascinating tube-dwelling polychaete found in sandy mud flats along the Maine coast. Known for its distinctive cone-shaped “ice cream cone” tube made of cemented sand grains, this worm burrows head-down into the sediment, filtering detritus and plankton for food.

A favorite for classroom study and aquaria, this species provides an excellent example of marine worm adaptations and tube-building behavior. Sustainably hand-collected from intertidal flats and shipped fresh from the Gulf of Maine.

Common name: Gould’s trumpet worm, ice cream worm
Scientific name: Pectinaria gouldii
Locations: Mid to low tide in sandy mud
Seasonality: Available all year
Colors: Sand tube of mixed grains and colors
Size: ½” – 1”
Collected: By hand
Quantity: Sold by the each

Uses: Excellent for marine biology study, aquarium sand-bed observation, or classroom demonstrations of polychaete behavior.

Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com.

Gould’s Trumpet Worm (Pectinaria gouldii)
Please Note: This is a live marine specimen.

The Gould’s Trumpet Worm (Pectinaria gouldii), also called the Ice Cream Worm, is a fascinating tube-dwelling polychaete found in sandy mud flats along the Maine coast. Known for its distinctive cone-shaped “ice cream cone” tube made of cemented sand grains, this worm burrows head-down into the sediment, filtering detritus and plankton for food.

A favorite for classroom study and aquaria, this species provides an excellent example of marine worm adaptations and tube-building behavior. Sustainably hand-collected from intertidal flats and shipped fresh from the Gulf of Maine.

Common name: Gould’s trumpet worm, ice cream worm
Scientific name: Pectinaria gouldii
Locations: Mid to low tide in sandy mud
Seasonality: Available all year
Colors: Sand tube of mixed grains and colors
Size: ½” – 1”
Collected: By hand
Quantity: Sold by the each

Uses: Excellent for marine biology study, aquarium sand-bed observation, or classroom demonstrations of polychaete behavior.

Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com.

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Tidepool Tim says,  "Most trumpet worms we find are dead - we just see their beautifully crafted cone of sand lying in a tiny mud-puddle on the sandflats.  Occasionally, if we're lucky we pick them up to see a golden fringe of bristles sticking out of their cone and realize we have a live one!  These worms have a flat head with bristles emerging from one side. A close look at the cone will reveal that the sand grains glued together by the worm increase in size from top to bottom and they are only 1 layer thick!  So the worm when very small actually uses the tiniest of grains early on in its life. As it grows in size, it begins to cement larger and larger grains of sand & shells - a very interesting strategy. Makes you wonder what kind of glue this worm can make to be so strong and so waterproof! This segmented worm lives in a small hole in the mud and sits at an angle so that its bristles can dig through the sediments for bits of organic matter or food. Looking at the worm out of his cone reveals a short fat worm that resembles a scale worm. Perhaps this species evolved to use sand grains for protection rather than scales?”