Social Feather Duster in Cozumel
Social Feather Duster (*Bispira brunnea*) in Cozumel: how to identify it, why it clusters, and what it is confused with.
Dense clusters of soft, banded, feathery crowns emerging from leathery tubes, usually brown and white. Looks like a patch of small flowers on rubble or coral base.
Quick ID
| Scientific name | Bispira brunnea |
|---|---|
| Group | Worms & Drifters |
| Typical size | Crowns 2–3 cm, clusters much larger |
| Depth range | 3–25 m |
| When to see it | Year-round |
| Active | Daytime |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Notes | — |
Where You Will See It In Cozumel
Rubble and coral bases at Tormentos, Chankanaab and Villa Blanca.
Reliable sites: Tormentos, Chankanaab Reef, Villa Blanca Wall.
Behaviour
Colonies form by budding, so a cluster is often a family. The crowns filter plankton and retract into the tube at any disturbance.
Commonly Confused With
- Christmas tree worm — Spiral cones set into living coral rather than soft crowns in clusters.
- Magnificent feather duster — A much larger single crown rather than a dense cluster.
Diving Etiquette And Safety
Do not touch. The tubes are soft and easily crushed.
Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip
Photo: Nick Hobgood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
