[1][2][3] This species forms patchy, belt-like colonies of hard, white, triangular tubes, each containing a bright blue worm.

When submerged, it puts out a fan of dark-blue tentacles to feed, which it retracts during low tide.

[1][2][4] Individuals living in Dunedin's Otago Harbour are the only polychaetes known to host gregarine parasites.

[1][2] Its body is a yellow to orange colour towards the posterior and a bright blue at the anterior.

It feeds on plankton and organic particles, which it filters from the water using its fan of tentacles.