Close. The ambush hunter nestles deep in the ocean sand with only its head exposed. Diet - what do they eat? Description. Like most of the class Polychaeta,[14] E. aphroditois is a sexual reproducting organism that lacks external reproductive organs. [7] The eggs are often eaten by other animals or destroyed, and few offspring survive to adulthood. Officially known as Eunice aphroditois, the BBC confirmed that the worm's colloquial name was indeed inspired by Lorena Bobbit, who infamously maimed her husband in 1993. For other uses, see, "WoRMS- World Register of Marine Species", "An extraordinarily large specimen of the polychaete worm Eunice aphroditois (Pallas) (Order Eunicea) from Shirahama, Wakayama, central Japan", "Novel mobbing strategies of a fish population against a sessile annelid predator", "Snapping death worms can hide undetected for years", "A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Eunice (Eunicidae, polychaete, Annelida)", "Eunice aphroditois (Pallas 1788) - Encyclopedia of Life", "EUNICID POLYCHAETES (ANNELIDA) FROM GREAT NICOBAR ISLAND, INDIA: II. [12] It inhabits a wide range of other habitats,[13] particularly sandy and muddy sediments, as well as around rocks and sponges. It’s a giant carnivorous worm that can grow over a metre long. Found in warmer oceans around the world, it buries itself into sediment, leaving only its mouth exposed with its huge, scissor-like jaws open wide. [12] It has been recorded at depths of up to 95 meters. The largest known specimen on record reached 299 centimetres (9.81 ft) in length. [15], "Bobbit" redirects here. This marine worm is called the Sand Striker Dr. Martini February 20, 2019 Bobbit Worm Eunice Aphroditois Polychaete Sand Striker TRIGGER WARNING This article or section, or pages it links to, contains information about sexual assault and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors. Back in the early 1990’s, there was an incident in the USA that made world news. The worm reminded viewers that one doesn't need to leave Earth to see a true monster. In addition to the Bobbit worm, other memorable creatures shown on the show included a "hypnotizing cuttlefish" that employs unbelievable disguises in order to catch prey, and the giant trevally, a bird-eating fish that launches itself out of the water in order to feast on seabirds. The Bobbit worm is a blind, brainless ocean worm with an appearance not even a mother could love. Posted by. The Bobbit worms, along with other fascinating ocean creatures, were part of the debut of Blue Planet II, the long-awaited sequel to the beloved 2001 BBC series Blue Planet. The fish disappeared less than a 1/2 second later, I got very very lucky with this shot. That theyre excellent and clearing leftover and the gunk on the substrate but this one is huge. According to The Smithsonian, the colorful worm, who resides in coral reefs, has sharp, bristly, harpoon-like teeth that act as hooks to pierce and immobilize unsuspecting fish. If Hell's a glittery rainbow party of terror, you'll find this guy having post-drinks in the pub at 10am. Yes, the Bobbit worm is named after THAT Bobbit #BluePlanet2, You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. If a fish should accidentally brush past one of them, it has mere milliseconds to flee. To reduce predation risk, some fish engage in mobbing behavior, in which a group of fish will direct jets of water into the worm's burrow to disorient it.[4]. Originating off the … hectocotyli-everywhere. Ive got a 2ft Invert only tank and Ive recently spotted an evil Bobbit worm. [3] Its exoskeleton displays a wide range of colors, from black to purple to metallic. The lifespan of E. aphroditois is believed to be three to five years. [11] The mandibles can be retracted inside the body and are responsible for striking and stunning prey; they are capable of snapping some in half. If It's Underwater, This Guy's Got You. Bobbit worms can grow up to 10 feet long . [1][2] It ranges in length from less than 10 cm (4 in) to 3 m (10 ft). These ambush predators have two eyes and five antennae on their head that are used to sense prey. Once the prey is captured, the worm injects it with a venom that helps kill it and make it easier to digest, Wired reported. Fossil remains reveal that a similarly huge snap-jawed relative lurked in prehistoric seas around 400 million years ago. The Bestiary Revamped: Bobbit Worm. Say hello to the bobbit – a metre-long worm with jaws as sharp as daggers#BluePlanet2 pic.twitter.com/Oj8oYLdQSM. Bobbit: The sinister sea creature that left Blue Planet 2 viewers terrified. [4] It then strikes with its sharp mouthparts. As fearsome as they are, these worms don't move around much. The Bobbit worm ( Eunice aphroditois ), is a species of aquatic predatory polychaete dwelling at the ocean floor. The Bobbit worm is a blind, brainless ocean worm with an appearance not even a mother could love. Mark, that's a good question… There are bobbit (or sand strikers as they are called as well) worms as long as an arm to twice the size as an average sized man. This species may be found prowling among the prey-rich environment of coral reefs, where its coloration allows it to blend in and its slim body enables it to hunt in tight places. [8] The name is taken from the John and Lorena Bobbitt case. Bobbit worm lunging at a fish. Armed with sharp teeth, it is known to attack with such speeds, its prey is sometimes sliced in half. According to a report by the British newspaper, the Telegraph, once the worm had been discovered, it split into three sections with its tail end ending up dead. In a tweet this morning, BBC confirmed that the worm was indeed named after "THAT Bobbitt," meaning Lorena Bobbit, who cut off her husband's penis with a knife while he slept in 1993. Eventually the penis was discovered and surgeons were able to reattach it. Eunice aphroditois is a benthic bristle worm of warm marine waters. ORDER: EUNICIDA", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eunice_aphroditois&oldid=994646625, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 December 2020, at 20:10. After those horrendous mandibles, perhaps the second most intimidating thing about the bobbit worm is … It has such sharp teeth and it attacks the prey with such ferocity that the prey is cut in half. This species is an ambush predator; it hunts by burrowing its whole body in soft sediment on the ocean floor and waiting until its antennae detect prey. [9] It is sometimes called the sand striker.[8]. This meter-long bobbit worm lives in a mucus-lined burrow in the seabed in Lembai, Indonesia #BluePlanet2 continues tomorrow 8pm GMT pic.twitter.com/Sk11Lv1bTq, Related: Prehistoric, Dinosaur-Era Shark With Insane Teeth Found Swimming Off Coast of Portugal. Five antennae protruding from its head act like tripwires. Also known as the Aphrodite's Worm. The Bobbit worm is an annelid, or segmented worm. The Bobbit fish calls the coral reef home and likes to prey on fish who cross its path. The mandibles on the end of the pharynx are so sharp and strong, the bobbit worm sometimes cuts its prey clean in half while snaring it, and will store the remains inside its burrow for feeding. During spawning, female polychaetes produce a pheromone that attract males and causes them to release sperm; this in turn triggers the female to release eggs into the water, where fertilization occurs. Do not take my ramblings at face value. Last night, David Attenborough's Blue Planet II showed a host of spectacular ocean creatures from the coral reefs, but it was one frightening carnivorous worm that really stole the show. All you need to know about the 'giant carnivorous worm with jaws as sharp as daggers' It turns out the bobbit worm has a long family history. 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