Re: hairy worm from Brisbane

June 5, 2002
From: Chris Glasby

Kerri is very likely to be correct about calling the creature fished from the Brisbane River a 'worm'. Polychaete worms are occasionally caught by fishers the world over, and in this case the species is probably Chloeia flava, an amphinomid, or fireworm, named for the intense sting one would get by touching the bristles on its sides. The fur on the upper surface referred to by Kerri is most likely the elaborate branchiae.

To learn more about this creature and other bait-taking polychaetes please consult • Glasby, C.J. & Bailey-Brock, J. 2001. Bait-taking fireworms (Amphinomidae: Polychaeta) and other polychaetes. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, 17: 37-41.

Thanks to Richard Willan for bringing this query to my attention
Chris Glasby

chris.glasby@nt.gov.au

Glasby, C., 2002 (Jun 5) Re: hairy worm from Brisbane. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7147

Thanks Chris,
I must say my first thought was a worm such as Aphrodite, as suggested by Clinton Bauder, but I thought the easiest approach was to eliminate the 'slug' possibility which Kerri has done in her second message. I agree that a 'fireworm' is a most likely answer.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jun 5). Comment on Re: hairy worm from Brisbane by Chris Glasby. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7147

Factsheet

Polychaete Worms (Bristle worms)

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