Shell Look-A-Like Washing Up On Texas Beaches Is Actually A Worm

If you come across a rope-like shape covered in debris at the beach, it's not a "unique shell." It's actually a worm!

Padre Island National Seashore shared a photo of the creature in the sand last week covered in shell fragments. "At first glance, this looks like it might be a unique shell, but upon closer inspection, you can see that there are a bunch of little shells and shell fragments. An even closer inspection reveals that these tiny shells are attached to a tube that is made by the plumed worm," the park said on Facebook.

The National Park Service said the plumed worm can be up to a foot long in some instances and lives buried in the sand. It builds a tube around itself to protect its soft body. The "shell" is not alive, however. A user commented, "Is it alive?" The park replied, "You can think of this as the sleeve that the worm lives in, so it's not alive!"

"What treasures are attached to the outside of a tube worm’s tube depends on what debris is available around the worm. Some tubes, like this one, are covered with shells. Others are covered with pebbles, grains of sand, seaweed or even pieces of wood. Regardless of what the tube worm tube is covered in, it is interesting to note that the objects have a consistent size and shape," Padre Island National Seashore said.

Another Facebook user asked, "Do the worms adorn their tubes or is this happening from the elements? It looks as though the shells are meticulously placed." The park replied, "The worms collect items from their environment and put them on the part of the tube that extends above the sand. The part of the tube that is buried in the sand is smooth."