# Barry The New Cryptid Worm



## kyektulu (Apr 6, 2009)

Posted by: Loren Coleman on April 6th, 2009





 This 4-foot-long sea worm was devastating coral reef and terrorizing fish at an aquarium in Cornwall, southwestern England. The creature, known as “Barry,” devoured bait traps — hooks and all — and bit through a 20-pound fishing line before staffers finally managed to capture it. The worm was moved to its own tank.
 So, you stock your aquarium full of little fish from the coral reef and apparently other tiny critters come along for the ride. You watch your colony stabilize and then discover a small baby something might have grown up in the batch?
 That appears to be the explanation being kicked around about the giant four-foot-long sea worm found in a respectable aquarium collection.




 The news has been made the rounds at the end of last week, but I’m into week two of being a bit under the weather and out-of-energy, so here’s some catch-up:
Staff at a British aquarium have captured a massive sea worm that had been terrorizing other aquatic life.
 For months, the 4-foot-long creature — which staffers call “Barry” — had been devastating coral reef at Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium, the Daily Mail newspaper reported. The menacing monster also apparently injured a Tang fish.
 Initially, aquarium workers weren’t sure what was harming the coral, which in some cases was cut in half. After weeks with no clues, they decided to take the display apart to see if they could find the culprit, the Mail reported.
 Workers laid bait traps, which were mysteriously destroyed in the night, as the glutton apparently devoured the fish hooks right along with the bait. Finally, staffers spotted the tropical worm, which bit through a 20-pound fishing line before staffers were able to successfully remove it from the tank.​ Further background to the story, here.




 This is not a new species, but merely an out-of-place animal, so to speak. It is apparently is the Giant Reef Bristle Worm, perhaps _Eunice aphroditois_.
 BTW, _Eunice aphroditois_ is also called the “Bobbit Worm” due to the fact that the female worm attacks the male penis and feeds it to her young after mating.


*With thanks to Loren Coleman, Cryptomundo.*


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## kyektulu (Apr 6, 2009)

Sos guys, I thought it was a new species, but still pretty cool huh, Barry rules!


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## the smiling weirwood (Apr 6, 2009)

I can't believe you posted the images of that disgusting creature! I'm traumatized...


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## ktabic (Apr 6, 2009)

Traumatized? You need to get yourself a camera, then everything just becomes photo-ops. My first thought on seeing the second and third pictures was 'nice depth of field on that macro'. 

I'm going to have to worry all my fish collecting friends with this now


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## The Ace (Apr 6, 2009)

Bobbit Worm ?


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## Ursa major (Apr 6, 2009)

It's also been found in a tank in Oregon: http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm


*shivers*


Anyone going to an aquarium over the Easter holidays? Having second thoughts?


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## Drachir (Apr 7, 2009)

Lovely creature.  I'm going to give up swimming except in bleach.


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## Nik (Apr 7, 2009)

Eeek !!

Truly, stranger than fiction !!

FWIW, I used to help my dad dig bait, so often ended slathered in foul blue mud from wrangling huge, pale, millipedal ragworms. These could go backwards almost as fast as forwards, but the head had a pair of ferocious nippers made toxic by stinking mud. Problem was head and tail looked very much alike, especially when writhing and covered in mud. Trick was to grab *both* ends just behind the 'head' at the same time...

FSC (Field Studies Council) - Bringing Environmental Understanding to All


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## AE35Unit (Apr 7, 2009)

Aww he's cute! Want one!


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