Sandworm
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- This article is about the Annelid. For the creatures from Frank Herbert's "Dune" Novels, see sandworm (Dune).
A sandworm is a Polychaete in the genus Nereis.
Sandworm.JPG
Sandworms make up a large part of the live seabait industry. "Sandworming," or the harvesting of sandworms from mudflats, employs over 1,000 people in Maine. Currently, a company called Sea Bait is threatening to take over the industry with has state support. However, as time goes on, sandworms are actually becoming more scarce because of overharvesting and the inability of many harvesters to allow mudflats to rest before reharvesting.
Sandworms have many distinguishable traits. They often reach great lengths, sometimes exceeding four feet. They have many small legs that run along both sides of their body. They also have blue heads with two large pincer teeth.
They eat seaweed and many microorganisms found in saltwater.