Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 5194803
Aphrodita aculeata
aphrodita aculeataAlso known as Sea Mouse, Common Sea Mouse
Sea mice are remarkable marine worms that resemble sodden, furry rodents when washed up on beaches. Under water, their dense mat of hair-like bristles transforms into a brilliant iridescent display of gold, red, and blue, which serves to warn off predators. They spend their lives crawling slowly over or tunneling head-first into muddy sea floors, hunting for other soft-bodied invertebrates.
MarineDeep SeaBenthic
- diet
- Carnivorous, preying on other polychaete worms, small crabs, and mollusks.
- family
- Aphroditidae
- threats
- Bottom trawling, habitat disturbance, and marine pollution.
- life Span
- Typically 2 to 3 years
NE
Safe to observe at a normal distance; handle gently to avoid pricks from the stiff defensive bristles.
- Look in tide pools: Search sandy or muddy pools after low tide, especially after heavy winter storms.
- Observe the iridescence: Shine a light from different angles to see the bristles shimmer from gold to deep blue.
- Handle with care: If found washed up, gently return them to wet sand or water without squeezing the stiff lateral spines.