A tubeworm is any worm-like sessile invertebrate that anchors its tail to an underwater surface and secretes around its body a mineral tube, into which it can withdraw its entire body.
Tubeworms are found among the following taxa: Annelida, the phylum containing segmented worms Polychaetea, the class containing bristle worms Canalipalpata, the order containing bristle-footed annelids or fan-head worms Siboglinidae, the family of beard worms Riftia pachyptila, a species known as giant tube worms Lamellibrachia, a related genus Sabellidae, the family containing feather duster worms Serpulidae, sabellids with a specialized operculum Phoronida, the phylum containing horseshoe worms Microconchida, an order of extinct tubeworms Kuphus polythalamia, a bivalve mollusk species whose common name is giant tube worm
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