Skip to main content

Bearded Fireworm

Hermodice carunculata
I was really excited to find out that a Fireworm is actually a real thing... but that it lives underwater! Bearded Fireworms, which lives in the tropical Atlantic, get their names from the horrible burning sensation you feel if you get stung by one of their bristles! Though the bristles inject a painful neurotoxin, the Bearded Fireworms aren't aggressive toward humans. Don't touch them, and they won't sting you.

Bearded Fireworms are Annelids, segmented works that have their own entire Phylum! These specific worms have flat bodies that come in a wide range of camouflaging colors. On their sides are the aforementioned long bristles that will flare out when the worm feels threatened.

Coral is a particular favorite food of the Bearded Fireworm. They attach themselves to the tips of the coral and suck the little creatures right out of their skeletons.

Bearded Fireworms also have quite a nifty little mating process. When the time comes to procreate, the females will swim up to the surface of the ocean and let off a green phosphorescent glow. The males then flash little lights of their own, before both of them release their sex cells.
IUCN Status :  Not Listed
Location : Atlantic Ocean
Size : Length around 4in (10cm)
Classification : Phylum : Annelida -- Class : Polychaeta -- Order : Aciculata
Family : Amphinomidae -- Genus : Hermodice -- Species: H. carunculata
Labels:

Comments

  1. James GanongJuly 12, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    What beautiful creatures! They remind me of nudibranchs.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a...
59 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more