Bobbit Worm

ID points

• Segmented body with a metallic rainbow sheen
• Five head tentacles spread out in a radiating fan
• Only the head shows in ambush, the rest stays under the sand

Basics

Family

Eunicidae

Length

1.0–3.0 m

Depth

0-40 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic

Distribution

Tropical coral reefs and sandy bottoms (hidden in the sand)

Habitat

Buried in reef sand, tropical shallows

Diet

Fish, crustaceans

Easily confused with

Giant MorayThe largest moray, can exceed 2 metresLungfishPectoral and pelvic fins reduced to four thin filamentsYellow-margin MorayDorsal and anal fins edged in bright yellow

Fun fact

The bobbit worm can reach 3 metres in length. It buries itself in the sand with only its head showing and shoots out its five jaws in about 600 milliseconds, with a bite strong enough to cut a passing fish clean in two. It is all but blind, ambushing prey by sensing vibrations through its antennae, and it is the most aggressive marine worm known.