aphroditois are occasionally found in home aquaria, where smaller specimens can evade detection by being transported into the tank in live rocks, where they then grow in size. While not commonly kept in aquaculture, individuals of E. This enables them to survive being attacked by predators. aphroditois can also reproduce asexually by splitting into multiple segments, then regenerating body parts such as the head or tail. aphroditois is believed to be three to five years. Few offspring survive to adulthood because often, the eggs are eaten by other animals or destroyed. During spawning, female polychaetes produce a pheromone that attracts males and causes them to release sperm this in turn triggers the female to release eggs into the water, where fertilization occurs. aphroditois is a sexually-reproducing organism that lacks external reproductive organs. This species is not only considered to be a carnivore, feeding on a plethora of species of fish, but it can also be considered an herbivore/omnivore, feeding on algae, as well as a decomposer, feeding on dead and decaying matter.Īncestral species may have exhibited the same hunting-behavior twenty million years ago, according to fossil-records. To reduce predation risk, some fish engage in mobbing behavior, during which a group of fish will direct jets of water into the worm's burrow to disorient it. It has been recorded at depths of up to 95 meters.Įunice aphroditois senses passing prey with its antennae, seizes the prey with its mouth, and drags it into its burrow. It inhabits a wide range of other habitats, particularly sandy and muddy sediments, as well as around rocks and sponges. 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. Despite these great lengths, the worms are slim, with the body only about 25.5 millimeters (1.00 in) wide. The largest known specimen on record reached 299 centimeters (9.81 ft) in length, making it the longest known member of the polychaete class. aphroditois ranges from deep purple to black, along with metallic colors. The mandibles can be retracted inside the body and are responsible for striking and stunning prey they are capable of snapping some prey in half. The body is covered by a hard exoskeleton. These ambush predators have no eyes and five antennae on their head that are used to sense prey. Another name associated with them is trap-jaw worm, noted in 2021 to have been found among fossils near Taiwan dating back twenty million years. The name is taken from the John and Lorena Bobbitt case. aphroditois is also known as the bobbit worm or bobbitt worm. It may also be found among coral reefs.Į. It then strikes with its sharp mouthparts. 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. Its exoskeleton displays a wide range of colors, from black to purple. It ranges in length from less than 10 cm (4 in) to 3 m (10 ft). It lives mainly in the Atlantic Ocean, but can also be found in the Indo-Pacific. Sand Striker (Bobbit Worm) - Eunice aphroditoisĮunice aphroditois is a benthic bristle worm of warm marine waters.
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