by Sand strikers — also known as bobbit worms — reach up to 10 feet long.
They have razor-sharp jaws they use to catch unsuspecting fish and can split into bits to regenerate.
Why it is awesome: With its scientific name referencing Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, the sand striker is a stunning, glittering marine worm — and a terrifying ambush predator.
It buries its long body in the seafloor during the day and waits with its antennae out to lure unsuspecting prey into its retractable jaws, which feature two pairs of serrated plates that act like scissors and can snap a fish in half.
Sand strikers have little to no vision, but their five antennae use light and chemical receptors to sense nearby prey and strike, before going back to its burrow with its meal.
Source
They have razor-sharp jaws they use to catch unsuspecting fish and can split into bits to regenerate.
Why it is awesome: With its scientific name referencing Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, the sand striker is a stunning, glittering marine worm — and a terrifying ambush predator.
It buries its long body in the seafloor during the day and waits with its antennae out to lure unsuspecting prey into its retractable jaws, which feature two pairs of serrated plates that act like scissors and can snap a fish in half.
Sand strikers have little to no vision, but their five antennae use light and chemical receptors to sense nearby prey and strike, before going back to its burrow with its meal.
Source
