Phylum Nemertea (Rhynchocoela)

Ecological Notes
Nemerteans are found in and among seaweeds, rocks, mussel and barnacle beds, or
buried in mud, sand, or gravel substrates. Most are benthic and live in temperate
areas, but some terrestrial and freshwater species. Few fully pelagic species, that drift
or swim slowly in the open ocean.
Some ribbon worms live in burrows that have been constructed from slime secreted
from their mucus glands. They crawl, leaving a trail of slime similar to that of a
gastropod mollusc. Other species use their extended proboscis like an anchor around
the substrate, from which they ‘reel’ their bodies in. Alternative forms of locomotion
include burrowing and anguilliform swimming.
Some nemerteans actively track prey by following their chemical trails, - common prey
items are polychaetes, snails, small crustaceans, and molluscs. A few are parasitic.