{"id":2206706,"date":"2026-08-19T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2206706"},"modified":"2026-08-15T13:24:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T12:24:33","slug":"its-bristles-are-like-thousands-of-tiny-hollow-needles-poking-out-of-every-inch-of-skin-ready-to-inject-you-with-neurotoxin-that-burns-like-fire-for-several-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/its-bristles-are-like-thousands-of-tiny-hollow-needles-poking-out-of-every-inch-of-skin-ready-to-inject-you-with-neurotoxin-that-burns-like-fire-for-several-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"“Its bristles are like thousands of tiny, hollow needles poking out of every inch of skin, ready to inject you with neurotoxin that burns like fire for several hours\u2026”"},"content":{"rendered":"

These ocean predators might look soft and fuzzy but don\u2019t be tempted to stroke their bristles \u2013 they\u2019re full of a potent neurotoxin that can be seriously painful if you get stung. Apart from the burning pain, you might feel a bit dizzy or sick but the symptoms aren\u2019t typically any worse and no-one is known to have died from a sting.<\/p>\n

What is a fireworm?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fireworms are a type of polychaetes (bristle worm) that live in the ocean. Sometimes brightly coloured and with delicate bristles brimming from all over their body, they\u2019re quite beautiful\u2026 if you\u2019re into worms. These predators are found in shallow waters where they eat corals, small crustaceans and detritus in the water.<\/p>\n

What do they look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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These ocean-dwelling worms look a bit like furry underwater\u00a0millipedes\u00a0and can come in dazzlingly bright colours such as reds and oranges. They have flat, segmented bodies covered with feather-like bristles. When they feel threatened, fireworms can raise their bristles to tell any predators to back off. This isn\u2019t just a visual deterrent \u2013 if the aggressor gets close enough to touch, the fireworm\u2019s bristles can snap off and poke into the antagonist\u2019s skin, injecting venom.<\/p>\n

Along their sides are some fleshy paddles called parapodia that help them move, swim and burrow into the seabed.<\/p>\n

Bearded fireworms (Hermodice carunculate<\/em>) have a fleshy beard called a caruncle near its head that helps these animals sense the world around them.<\/p>\n

How big are fireworms<\/h2>\n

They are up to around 35cm\u00a0long and weigh 45g<\/p>\n

Where do they live?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

These marine worms live in warm waters on the seabed around shallow coral reefs. They can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as nearby seas such as the Mediterranean and Red Sea.<\/p>\n

What do they eat?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fireworms are scavengers. They eat dead and decaying matter and help to break carcasses down, keeping ocean ecosystems clean.<\/p>\n

Some species are also known to eat live prey. For example, bearded fireworms sometimes have a penchant for snacking on small crustaceans and sea anemones but \u2013 above all \u2013 love to eat\u00a0coral<\/a>. Left unchecked they can cause problems on the reef, destroying the coral and carrying disease between colonies.<\/p>\n

How do they hunt?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fireworms don\u2019t need to be speedy because their prey \u2013 corals, detritus and small organisms \u2013 are often slow or stationary. So these predators can inch slowly along the seabed looking for clues in the water that help them detect a potential meal.<\/p>\n

When they find prey, such as branching coral, they turn their pharynx (throat) inside out and start to feed. They usually start at the tips of branching corals, devouring their tissue.<\/p>\n

How do they reproduce?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fireworms reproduce through spawning: releasing eggs and sperm into the water to fertilise each other externally.<\/p>\n

Some species, such as reedy fireworms (Eurythoe complanate<\/em>) can clone themselves by splitting their bodies in two and regrowing both parts. Yikes.<\/p>\n

Are they dangerous to humans?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Are they under threat?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No. As climate change warms waters around the world, these worms seem to be spreading. This isn\u2019t great news because fireworms have very few natural predators (remember those burning bristles we talked about?). Too many bearded fireworms on a reef, for example, can damage corals that are already under pressure from threats including warmer waters and pollution.<\/p>\n

Bearded fireworms are reportedly causing havoc in Mediterranean waters with fishers in\u00a0Malta\u00a0saying the worms are damaging their catch \u2013 not to mention causing serious ouchies for those who accidentally bring fireworms up in their nets.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Melissa Hobson was first published by Discover Wildlife on 11 August 2026. Lead Image: Ultramarinfoto \/ Getty Images.<\/em><\/p>\n

What You Can Do<\/h2>\n

Help to save wildlife by donating as little as $5 \u2013 It only takes a minute.<\/p>\n

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