Eunice aphroditois facts for kids
The bobbit worm, also known as Eunice aphroditois or the sand striker, is a fascinating creature that lives on the ocean floor. It's a type of polychaete worm that can grow quite long. This amazing worm is an ambush predator, meaning it hides and waits for its food to come close.
Quick facts for kids Eunice aphroditois |
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| A burrowed Eunice aphroditois | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eunice
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| Species: |
aphroditois
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What is the Bobbit Worm?
The bobbit worm spends most of its life hidden. It buries its long body deep into the ocean bed. This can be in gravel, mud, or even among corals. Only a small part of its head, with its special feelers (called antennae), sticks out. These feelers act like sensors, helping the worm detect anything moving nearby.
How the Bobbit Worm Hunts
When the bobbit worm feels a tiny movement or stimulus on one of its feelers, it gets ready to attack. If it senses prey, like a fish, it strikes with incredible speed. The worm has very sharp pincers on its mouth. It attacks so fast and fiercely that it can sometimes cut its prey in half!
After catching its meal, the bobbit worm usually pulls the prey down into its burrow. It then eats its food safely hidden away in its underwater home. You can find many videos of this amazing hunting process on YouTube, which is how the worm got its popular name, "bobbit worm."
Images for kids
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Head with antennae
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In an aquarium, showing length
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See also
In Spanish: Gusano Bobbit para niños
