Teredinidae

Teredinidae is a family of marine bivalve molluscs commonly known as shipworms or ship-worms. Despite their worm-like appearance, they are true bivalves, adapted to a wood-boring lifestyle. Members of this family bore into submerged timber, including ship hulls, piers, docks, and submerged logs, making them economically important as pests in wooden maritime structures.

Morphology and feeding: Teredinids have elongated, soft bodies that reside inside a protective, tube-like covering. The two valves are greatly reduced and located at the anterior end, with the animal extending a pair of siphons to access water. They feed by filtering organic material from the water and rely on symbiotic bacteria housed in their gills or digestive tissues to help digest cellulose from wood. The boring activity is facilitated by specialized parts of the shell and the worm’s body, allowing them to create and inhabit networked tunnels within the wood.

Distribution and habitat: Shipworms are found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide, particularly in submerged or water-saturated wood. They require marine or brackish conditions and can colonize new wood exposed by currents, storms, or human activity.

Ecology and impact: In natural settings, shipworms contribute to wood decay and recycling of submerged timber. In human contexts, species such as Teredo navalis have caused substantial damage to ships, wharves, pilings, and other wooden infrastructures, prompting antifouling measures and timber treatment to control infestations.

Reproduction and life cycle: Teredinids are gonochoric or display mixed reproduction strategies, releasing free-swimming larvae that settle in suitable wood and develop into adults. The life cycle includes a planktonic stage before wood colonization.