Teredo navalis has an elongated, reddish, wormlike body which is completely enclosed in a tunnel it has made in floating or submerged timber. At the front end of the animal are two triangular, calcareous plates. These are … See more

Teredo navalis is found in temperate and tropical seas and oceans worldwide. It may have originated in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, but it is difficult to establish where it originally came from because it has spread so efficientl… See more

Food particles, mostly timber raspings but also some microalgae, are extracted from the water passing through the gills where gas exchange also takes place. Waste, reproductive gametes, and larvae are discharged … See more

Teredo navalis is a very destructive pest of submerged timber. In the Baltic Sea, pine trees can become riddled with tunnels within 16 weeks of being in the water and oaks within 32 weeks, with whole trees 30 cm (12 in) in di… See more