The bearded fireworm,Hermodice carunculata, is a type of marine bristleworm belonging to the Amphinomidae family. It is native to the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
In ancient Greece, the fireworm was a mythological animal characterized by two very different, but equally unsettling, appearances. One was as a creeping dog with no limbs; the other was as an insect that barked and lived in the underworld.
Actually, at first sight, its appearance is similar to that of a centipede. Its body, long and flattened, is formed by 60 to 150 segments separated from each other by a thin white line. Each segment has a group of brittle white bristles embedded with poison. An adult specimen can be up to 35 cm long.
The bearded fireworm is a voracious predator that feeds on corals, sea anemones, small crustaceans and other invertebrates. It can also feed on squid, molluscs, prawns and mussels. This marine worm is also a scavenger – in fact, groups of worms can often be found eating any dead organism found in the seabed, forming a writhing ball.
Useful information
If annoyed or inadvertently struck, the fireworm literally throws its bristles at the intruder. These have a hook-shaped end and stick firmly in the skin, releasing the poison hidden within the bristles. The poison consists of a neurotoxin that causes great pain and severe irritation in the affected area.
In the case of a puncture, the first thing to do is to eliminate the spines stuck in the skin. To do this, apply adhesive tape to the skin and remove it extremely slowly so that the spines, remaining attached to the tape, are extracted from the skin. Alcohol can also be used to relieve the pain.
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