flourescing white spiral fan worm @ sekudu - Oct2011

There were quite a few of these white spiral fan worms on the Sekudu shore. The spiral arms are in themselves a wonder to behold as they unfurl from their protective tube. The magic comes when the unfurled arms are lit with black light (from a low powered UV LED torch). The arms take on an eerie bluish glow.

(clipfocus is on background until spiral arms unfurl)

in white light...

in black light...

Surprisingly, other non-white fan worms do not exhibit similar fluorescence. What function does it serve? If at all any function at all? Or is it so that white colours simply reflect the UV light back out (much like white paper does)?

Find out more about :
- fan worms : http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/worm/polychaeta/sabellidae.htm
- white spiral fan worms : http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/worm/polychaeta/sabwhite.htm

Read about fluorescence here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescence
and also about bioluminescence here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence

Read also about Sekudu's other treasures :
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2011/10/sekudu-with-harlequin-and-other.html
http://sgn090608.blogspot.com/2011/11/111030-sekudu.html
http://wondercreation.blogspot.com/2011/10/slugs-galore-at-pulau-sekudu.html