Blood worm (Glycera brevicirris)strike with Probosis

Bloodworm (Glycera brevicirris)everts its probosis to catch plankton Bloodworms have a creamy pink color, as their pale skin allows their red body fluids that contain hemoglobin to show through. This is the origin of the name "bloodworm". Bloodworms are carnivorous. They feed by extending a large proboscis that bears four hollow jaws. The jaws are connected to glands that supply poison which they use to kill their prey, and their bite is painful even to a human.
At the 'head', bloodworms have four small antennae and small fleshy projections called parapodia running down their bodies. Bloodworms can grow up to 35 centimetres (14 in) in length.
The animals are unique in that they contain a lot of copper without being poisoned. Their jaws are unusually strong since they too contain the metal in the form of a copper-based chloride biomineral, known as atacamite.[3] And unlike the clamworm (Nereis limbata), whose jaws contain the metal zinc, the copper in the mineral in the jaws of Glycera is actually present in its crystalline form.[4] It is theorized that this copper is used as a catalyst for its poisonous bite.WIKI This animal was found a low tide at Wolfs pond Park SI NY(See Map) Interesting paper with more info" Zinc and mechanical prowess in the jaws of Nereis, a marine worm " by Helga C. Lichtenegger

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• blood
• worm
• polychaete
• probosis
• evert
• strike
• Glycera
• brevicirris
• jaw
• thrower
• Helga
• C.
• Lichtenegger

[09koilover]

the worm is eating??

[wannadanc1]

I had a student get seriously bitten when holding one of these.  She could not easily shake it off.

[IneedaYTaccount]

I guess bloodworms would make good conductors if they have all that copper :o