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Aphrodita sp. (Sea mouse)
Copyright © 2008
Mary Jo Adams
This strange little creature looks like it’s in the midst of a perpetual bad hair day. Think of it as a scaleworm on Rogaine®. The shaggy appearance of this 4 inch (10 cm.) invertebrate disguises its true identity as a polychaete worm. Turning the animal over will expose the segmented makeup of its body. The sea mouse is a carnivore that uses an eversible pharynx to capture polychaetes and other small invertebrates. Look for the sea mouse in areas of sand and mud. It can be found from the very low intertidal to a depth of 545 feet (165 m.). Another common name for it is bristle worm.
This
page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 11/7/08.
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