vatreni crv | bearded fireworm | hermodice carunculata

Bearded fireworm The body of this very beautiful bristle worm is composed of numerous (up to 100) segments. Segments are of blue-gray-pink color and are visibly separated by a thin pale line. On the sides of segments are visible gills that can be red and brown. Under the gills from segments grow white chitin bristles. It feeds on small organisms, but is also a scavenger and feeds on dead fish and other residues. It can grow up to 35 cm. It resides on a rocky and sandy seabed in seagrass, at the depths of 2-60 m. Bristles are normally bowed down. If it feels threatened, it spreads the bristles raising them into a defensive posture. Bristles are very thin and solid like needles and carry poison. In case of contact bristles easily penetrate the skin and cause severe irritation. Skin becomes red, itching for a long time. In sensitive people it can even get to short-term paralysis of the body. Wounded person can feel pain, tremors and drowsiness.

Vatreni crv, crv pas Tijelo ovog vrlo lijepog crva se sastoji od brojnih (do 100) segmenata. Segmenti su plavo-sivo-ružičaste boje i međusobno su vidljivo odvojeni tankom svijetložutom linijom. Na bokovima segmenata vidljive su škrge koje mogu biti crvene i smeđe boje. Ispod škrga iz segmenata rastu bijele hitinske čekinje. Hrani se sitnim organizmima, ali je i strvinar pa se hrani uginulim ostacima riba i drugim. Može narasti do 35 cm. Nalazi se na stjenovitom i pješčanom dnu i u livadama morskih cvjetnica, na dubinama od 2 do 60 m. Čekinje su normalno spuštene prema dolje. Ukoliko osjeti da je u opasnosti čekinje širi i podiže prema gore u obrambeni položaj. Čekinje su vrlo tanke i čvrste poput iglica i na sebi nose otrov. Ukoliko dođe do dodira sa čekinjama one vrlo lako prodiru u kožu i izazivaju jaku iritaciju. Dolazi do pojave crvenila i dugotrajnog svrbeža. Kod osjetljivijih ljudi može čak doći do kratkotrajne paralize dijela tijela. Ubodeni može osjećati bol, drhtanje i pospanost.

Benthos

Vatreni crv, crv pas