Alitta Virens

Alitta virens, formerly classified as Nereis virens and known by the common names sandworm, sea worm, and king ragworm, is an annelid worm that burrows in wet sand and mud. It has a blue head bearing two large pincer-like teeth capable of biting, along with numerous highly vascularized parapodia running along both sides of its body, and typically grows to around 30 centimeters, though it can occasionally exceed four feet. It is abundant along European coasts and in fjord environments, inhabiting fully saline coastal waters, and can occur in large biomass across a wide distribution. Sandworms are harvested commercially for fishing bait; in Maine in the United States, sandworming employs more than 1,000 people, and the species is also used in marine biology research, including studies of metal uptake and the effects of metals on marine organisms. Its population has declined greatly in recent years, largely due to overharvesting before the worms are able to reproduce.