WHATSTHATFISH
Worms

Sea Mouse

Aphrodita aculeata

Also known as: Aphrodite, Aphrodite's Worm, Common Sea Mouse, European Sea Mouse, Fire Worm, Marine Fireworm, Rock Worm, Sea Caterpillar, Segmented Sea Worm, Segmented Worm, Tubeworm

Adult
@iBrains · Marselisborg Havn, Denmark · June 20141 / 3
01

Overview

Found singly, buried head first or on fine sand over coral and rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on crabs and other worms, sometimes up to three times their own length by swallowing them whole.
Widespread Northeast Atlantic, Mediterannean, Northwest Pacific

Often large numbers are found washed up on shores after storms.

Segmented worms are extremely mobile, have strong jaws for hunting and feeding on their prey.
Some worms are covered in hairs for protection, scavenging on the sea floor for detritus.
Others are delicate fans, protected by their self made tubes, which they retreat back into when threatened, these are filter feeders and feed on plankton.

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How to identify

Body shape
hairy
Head & Mouth
horns

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Northwest Pacific, Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean
  • Country only · 3
LIVES IN

Found singly, buried head first or on fine sand over coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 3

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumAnnelida
    3. classPolychaeta
    4. orderPhyllodocida
    5. familyAphroditidae
    6. genusAphrodita
    7. speciesAphrodita aculeata Linnaeus, 1758

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Phyllodocida