These fluffy appendages belong to feather duster worms. They are so named because of their resemblance to an old fashioned feather duster used to dust furniture. The worms live inside a long, leathery tube secreted by the worm as it grows. Feather duster worms are filter feeders. They use their feathery plumes to catch tiny plankton from the seawater. When danger threatens, the worms can quickly pull their plumes inside their tubes, disappearing in an instant. Feather dusters are found in a wide variety of sizes and colors.

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