Invertebrate
Antarctic Scale Worm
Eulagisca giganteaAlso known as Giant Antarctic Scale Worm
Antarctic scale worms patrol the freezing, dark seabed of the Southern Ocean, clad in a protective armor of broad, overlapping scales called elytra. When feeding, they abruptly extend a massive, fleshy pharynx equipped with strong chitinous jaws to seize prey or tear at carrion. Their golden sheen and flattened, segmented bodies make them one of the most dramatic deep-sea invertebrates in polar benthic ecosystems.
Deep SeaBenthicPolar
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAmphipods, Polychaete worms, Marine carrion
Predators
- Deep-sea fish
- Sea stars
- Octopuses
ThreatsDeep-sea bottom trawling and climate-driven ocean change
HabitatsDeep ocean floor, polar muddy and rocky benthic zones
Life span10–20 years
Classification
- FamilyPolynoidae
- SpeciesEulagisca gigantea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Large jaws on its retractable pharynx can bite if handled, though live human encounters are rare.
Responsible observation
- ROV Footage: Search for deep-sea expedition videos to observe live movement.
- Museum Archives: Visit marine invertebrate collections to see preserved specimens.
Image unavailableFamily Relative 
Order Relative (c) Maisie Henderson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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