Strangest Invertebrate Ever

Daniel O'Brien    says:

I've only got pro just recently - thanks to Evan, Cheers mate - so this video is of an animal i've have posted photos of but not a video. The pictures just don't give this amazing animal justice. Heres the photo i uploaded a while ago.
Before

teejaybee    says:

Damn that is unusual! Maybe try the ID-please group? Would be interesting to see what it is.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Eric in SF    says:

Ok, that's just weird.

My first thought is it's a leech of some kind. But I have almost zero knowledge of tropical creepy-crawlies.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

zosterops    says:

That is amazing. I have not idea what it is...although I have a nagging suspicion that I've seen a photo of something like it in one of my books...I'll try to find it.




--
Seen in Field Guide to Insects of Australia (?)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Artist Naturalist    says:

confess up-digital effects-there is no animal in nature like this! Just kidding-I have no idea what it is!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

employeeno5 says:

You've been submitted to reddit.

One of the commenters seems to think it might be this.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

cfabbro says:

It is a Nemertea, probably a type of Hoplonemertea; a terrestrial Nemertea in the class Enopla.

It could be a Argonemertes stocki as they are native to New South Wales.

This is the best source I could find on Terrestrial Nemertea:

www.springerlink.com/content/p83826734m707v81 /
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

merfam    says:

WTF ?!?!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

eyeaml337    says:

looks like this is your worm (slug?)
www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=nemer tea
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

23fnords    says:

Alien invaders comes in many shapes.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Dubious Drewski - A Lethbridge Photographer    says:

Man, those are some rough looking hands...
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

DisGuyLa says:

wow!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ArghMonkey    says:

WoW, I just puked in my mouth ...
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

TomConger    says:

That's amazing. It seems as though its tongue-lookin' thing would take up his entire body when it's retracted.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Snottlebocket says:

The weirdest part is that I've seen these things in and Oddworld game. Abe's exoddus has slug creatures that pull themselfs forth by their tongue.

Art imitates life I guess.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ptspitinurface says:

It's a pokemon !
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

jawbone54    says:

Very intriguing, but disgusting.

Loved the video. Thanks for sharing!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Rooney.    says:

I for one welcome our new worm overlords

--
Seen on digg.com (?)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Toby Barnett says:

That is slightly gross...felt weird just looking at it.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Sirlancealot2008 says:

I think its a blood worm. Seen it(or something that looks like it)in dirty jobs hosted by Mike Rowe, I could be wrong =p. Does it have teeth?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

intric8    says:

Was the worm prodded by a finger from the dead, recently having clawed out of its own grave? That's a zombie's finger if I've ever seen one.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

randylf says:

Wow that is creepy.


Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

anang_5 says:

thats its penis. they get aroused when you touch their ass so their penis gets larger ;)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

BioGeek    says:

Try submitting it to the ID Please group on iNaturalist. The site nicely integrates with Flickr, so it's a very easy and quick process.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

dragko    says:

Looks to me like a blood worm.

Becareful they bite.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

JPhilipson    says:

wow, it's like a grappeling hook!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

mansillaDEV    says:

First time I followed a link through SocialBrowse.com and it was to this photo/video entry. On both accounts (the odd little critter, and SocialBrowse), awesome.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Andrés Kazán says:

Dude, that worm is poisonous. Be careful. It's a Nemertea (Gorgonorhynchus repens). Google it.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

gwizah says:

Wow...it looks like the "looping" escape response described here:

link

"Some nemertimes probably use the same trick of limited ventral contact points, but many of themm have an additional "looping" strategy to achieve fast escape movements: the proboscis is shot out ahead of the worm and its tip adheres to the ground, so that the rest of the body can be drawn up to it using longitudunal muscular contractions."

jankoraseta says:

What the hell is it?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

leggymclego says:

That's a "parasyte" from the manga "Kiseijuu".
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ObsidianStout says:

It's a Regulan Blood Worm.

Star Trek man. Read it. Watch it. Live it.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Pictures from Heather    says:

I agree, bloodworm. Those things are nasty.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

meowspeaker2 says:

блин, мне бы было страшно, что оно вопьется мне в руку
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

cikaga jamie says:

I just had to sign in to say that is (and the comments are) the funniest thing i have seen all day. THANKS for the laughs! anyway here in Chicago we call them Politicians...
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

macfusion says:

it's a horny worm! every time you touch it it gets a hard on! Shhhwinggg
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Mutiny32 says:

Nuke it from orbit, that's the only way you can be sure.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Goldenknabe aka Fewbrain    says:

Какой необычный зверек. Ну это уж слишком.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

★hime's images★    says:

that has to be the craziest worm on the planet...and u got it on your hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....way to take one for the team.

--
Seen on digg.com (?)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

MyteeDave says:

It looks like Andreas Kazan is correct- Nemertea. You can see a pic of one here: www.mbari.org/benthic/other.html
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

gilmalonzo says:

viagra overdosius
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

bunkscene says:

wait.... that animal/insect is weird.... but my main question is: is that a human hand or a zombie hand?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

JASmedia says:

that is so nasty
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

pexicus says:

Yep, Nemertea allright. What a charming little guy.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Russ Clark    says:

Whatever it is... get it off your hand... Noooooooooooo :)
It might be the lesser known 'hand burrowing' nematodes

Wow, I wasn't expecting it to move like that, thanks for sharing.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Milgaviel says:

some of the comments on here are a lot weirder than that lovely and interesting worm/slug invertebrate

nice find and thank you for sharing
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

NT-R says:

creature is weird comments are hilarious
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

kertenkelekral    says:

I dont know what the heck it is but when my sister was born, she looked exactly the same
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

IsaacWN    says:

Oh, I don't want to see it...
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

awhispell    says:

I think that it is:
- NEMERTEA
- NEMERTINEA
- NEMERTINI
- HOPLONEMERTEA
- MONOSTILIFERA
- TETRASTEMMATIDAE

Prostoma spp. generally are less than 25mm long. The anterior is blunt with a rounded frontal lobe lying wholly before the brain, the posterior slightly tapered. The rhynchocoel (proboscis sheath) extends about 2/3 to 3/4 the length of the adult body, almost the full length in juveniles. Colour varies with age, being typically white or cream in juveniles and orange, red or green in mature specimens. Eye number is typically 2 in juveniles, 4-6 in adults. The muscular proboscis generally is longer than the body and so lies coiled in the rhynchocoel. The proboscis is armed with a stylet (terminal when the proboscis is extended, thus about half-way along when the proboscis is retracted) comprising a single central thorn on a conical base. Two or more lateral pockets contain reserve thorns in various stages of development. The mouth opens within a combined rhynchodaeum/buccal cavity from underneath the rhynchocoel.

www.lucidcentral.com/keys/lwrrdc/public/Aquat ics/aatop/ht...
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

dagamant17 says:

A lot of people keep saying its a ribbon worm, but ribbon worms are marine worms, the live in the ocean. this little guy was found under a log. it looks to me like that extension might have several uses. it may hive tiny fangs at the very end of it and use it to grab prey and engulf it similar to the blood worms used as fishing bait do.

New south wales is a pretty big place, could you be a little more specific as to where you are finding them? near the ocean or not? i cant find anything that even looks related to your little friends.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

derumi says:

It's most likely a geonemertes australiensis, a terrestrial ribbon worm (as opposed to the many aquatic forms).
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Tzarowski says:

Madrecita!!
Tiny Mother!!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

awhispell    says:

Reply to dagamant17:

Almost all Nemertea are marine but a few species live in freshwater or are terrestrial. Two families (Tetrastemmatidae, Prosorhochmidae) are recorded from fresh water in New Zealand and one (Tetrastemmatidae) in Australia.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ZLamperti says:

Crazy! O_O
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Dennis Apego says:

Flesh eaters?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel O'Brien    says:

Thanks everyone for your interest in my video and thanks to those who have helped in the identification. I'm pretty sure we are on the right track down to the family but i am not sure of the genera because not many have been described yet.

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Protostomia
Superphylum: Lophotrochozoa
Phylum: Nemertea
Classis: Enopla
Ordo: Hoplonemertea
Subordo: Monostilifera
Familia: Tetrastemmatidae

Possible Genera: Algonemertes - Amphinemertes - Arenonemertes - Nemertellina - Prostoma - Prostomatella - Prostomiopsis - Sacconemertella - Sacconemertes - Sacconemertopsis - Tetrastemma
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

worms2u says:

You have your answer pokerchampdaniel: ten points to derumi for getting it right, five points to awhispell for getting close (and demonstrating the hazard of using an incomplete identification guide), three points to everyone who recognized that this is a pretty cool animal, zero to all the zeroes out there who think anything weird to them is a joke or something to freak out about - grow up. PS, species are described, not genera; genera are just used to designate groups of related species. But, yes, many species have not been described. This one looks just like one that has been described and is common in Tasmania.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel O'Brien    says:

The ones i have found have been around 20-30km from the coast ranging from northern nsw to central nsw.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Robertv! (Edinburgh, UK)    says:

Whatever that thing is, can you keep it the hell away from me?
Many thanks.

Yech!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

laconics    says:

that is one funky worm! great video! - but your friend needs a manicure desperately! :)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

necro_will    says:

go go gadget worm pecker!!!!! thats just freakin weird. bugs rule
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Goggla    says:

Congrats, you're on Boing Boing.

Cool worm - I've never seen anything like it.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Lance Uppercut2008 says:

This is some sort of parasitic nematode . . . pretty gross.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

kenahoo    says:

That's a peenworm if I've ever seen one. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP3P-ZVv91Q
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

lestyoubejudged says:

It faintly reminds me of something I remember seeing as a child.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

B N C T O N Y    says:

ouahhhh
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

bigredpenguin    says:

Yo, what do you think would come shooting out of you if you were prodded by the un-dead?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

draco_cd    says:

If you guys think that's weird, look up onychophorans (velvet worms). Or any member of platyhelminthes. INVERTEBRATES RULE!! :-)
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

kelaltieri    says:

Zomg, aliens!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

dannif says:

go to whatsthatbug.com
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ashabot    says:

Wonderful creature. I hope you don't kill it with curiosity like so many idiot "researchers" do.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

raymilauren    says:

my barf just barfed! haha.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

felpef says:

Awesome!, that's effing weird. I really would like to visit Australia sometime
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

peter760504    says:

天啊....是沒想像中的噁啦....可是還是不太舒服..
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

elfgirl97    says:

dang thats awesome!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

riverdeer24 says:

What does it taste like?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

caughtyouhoney    says:

!!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

dotlizard    says:

no idea what it might be, but pretty sure i wouldn't let it crawl on my hand. yikes!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

lilkay2006 says:

www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=nemer tea

Bootlace and ribbon worms - Nemertea
here hope this helps
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

ModestLife says:

So amazed that the pull-tongue appears to have more volume than the body at rest! It seems like a vulnerable way to travel, especially if all you are is a tube to begin with. Kinda like the weirdness of the sea cucumber.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

have a biscuit, potter says:

I saw this video on myspace and it's probably the most bizarre thing I've ever seen! It kinda creeps me out, it's like something from space.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

barbara.elaw    says:

glad you've got an id
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

violetz_85 says:

bleah, it's disgusting!!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

xflickrx says:

The dude's thumb is nastier than the slime creature!
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

chris_parsnip says:

nemertea- i study these in invertebrates at uni. the organ is called a proboscis and resides in an organ called a rhinocoel. its powered by a hydraulic system so by poking it you're stimulating it to fire. some species have a spike on the end to imale prey
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

juliusdeane65 says:

its a orange ribbon worm
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

Peter Goossens says:

omg barf
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

marcus5s says:

ieeuuuww!!! but cool though!
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

mantidboy    says:

Eugh, wierd thing {8O
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

markus_buehler says:

BTW, the worm-like monsters in Peter Jackson´s King Kong which were named "Vile Meat Weasels" (Carnictis sordicus) were actually based on this animals.
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

cccclip says:

that finger's pretty nasty, too
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

moonglampers    says:

I believe Australia has the market cornered on bizarre wildlife!
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

bewilderbeast69 says:

Looks like Gorgonorhynchus repens, but where did you find it? They can apparently be found in intertidal sandy areas .
Posted 4 weeks ago. ( permalink )

LeoBlackHeart! says:

Thank You for posting your Video on Videos on Flickr,

Invite your Family, Friends and Contacts to see it!
www.flickr.com/groups/videosonflickr/

Ciao and be 'SAFE'
Sean Ellan....
Posted 3 weeks ago. ( permalink )

nasa1fan    says:

OMG! I almost jumped out of my chair when the tongue(?) shot out. Wash your hands -- dirt is fine, but this thing looks beyond poisonous. Yikes.
Posted 3 weeks ago. ( permalink )