• A fun fact inspired by the Discord server

• Answers to last week's games

• …nothing else (short newsletter this week!)

Fun Fact: Christmas trees grow in coral reefs

Marine photographers love snapping pics of what appear to be miniature Christmas tree farms that grow in coral reefs. These aren’t real trees though; in fact, they’re not even plants! Rather, these photogenically festive spirals are the breathing and eating apparatus of Spirobranchus giganteus, otherwise known as Christmas tree worms.

These gorgeous annelids live embedded in coral reefs, mostly in tropical and subtropical seas, and can live up to 40 years in their calcium carbonate tubes. While there is only one species of Christmas tree worm, they come in a variety of colours, making them prime Ocean photography subjects. However, they have a tendency to retract their faux foliage when they get scared, so don’t get too close or you might ruin the shot!

Check out some great pictures and videos of the colourful creatures here.

McLendon, R. (2021). Welcome to the Magical World of Christmas Tree Worms. [online] University of Georgia. Link.

Answers to last week's games

Monday, December 11 to Sunday, December 17.

Forgeous

Play Forgeous for Dec 25.

Moroni, Giovanni Battista. Lucrezia Agliardi Vertova (1490?–1558). 1557. Oil paint on canvas, 91 x 69 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession no. 437163. Wikimedia Commons, file: "Giovanni Battista Moroni - Abbess Lucrezia Agliardi Vertova - WGA16244.jpg", https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19911825.

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