Fireworms

[denise]

Fireworms are group of bristleworms that form the largest and most primitive family of worms. They are all marine-dwelling, and very brightly colored. Their body consists of a head segment, a tail segment, and a number of other identical segments in between. Each of these segments has a pair of flattened, lobe-like paddles (called parapodia), which fireworms use for swimming, burrowing and creating feeding currents to catch food.


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Photo by Patricia Simone

There are numerous long poisonous bristles on these parapodia, that cause a nasty sting when touched. On contact, these bristles release a powerful neurotoxin, that produces intense irritation and an incredibly painful burning sensation around the area of contact, which gives these worms their name. This is not usually lethal (to humans at least), but a painful swelling will result for several hours.


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Closeup of a fireworm
Photo by Michael Gibby

Fireworms are very voracious carnivores with strong jaws, that feed on anything they find as they travel along coral reefs, such as corals, crustaceans, mollusks and other worms. They will even attack anemones up to ten times their size!


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Bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata, Blue Heron Bridge.
Photo by Micheal Gibby

Bearded fireworms vary in color from red to green, gray and brown.

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Here is a another photo of a bearded fireworm

Bearded fireworms grow to a maximum length of 12 inches. They are quite common in Florida along coral reefs and sea grass beds. They have been found in water as deep as 200 feet!