Hermodice carunculata

Scolopendra thalattia (Aristotle)

Amphinomidae

Carunculata from the Latin caruncula: an outgrowth on a plant or animal such as a fowl's wattle or a protuberance near the hilum of certain seeds.

This species is a hermaphrodite.

The bearded fireworm is usually found on reefs, under stones in rocky areas of the sea, and on some mud bottoms. Sometimes, they can be found to be hidden on moss-covered rocks. It is encountered throughout the tropical western Atlantic and at Ascension Island in mid-Atlantic. It can be found near ocean reefs and at least 150m. These worms have also been encountered in the Mediterranean sea, in the coastal waters surrounding the Maltese archipelago.

Depends on collection site. Anything between 1.026 and 1.032

Depends on collection site. Anything between 18^o and 26^oC

Normal tropical to normal Mediterranean water parameters.

Vary greatly, mainly depending on collection point / origin. Very adaptable species.

None, the animal can be collected without any impact on its environment.

50 L

Irrelevant.

Almost anything will do.

Hermodice carunculata, is predatory on stony corals and gorgonians.

Anything, even micro tanks.

Hermodice carunculata is a fireworm species commonly found in the Caribbean, although other species in the same genus are found throughout the tropics – even temperate waters like the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only potential "problem" fireworm in aquaria because it eats stony corals and gorgonians in its natural habitat, but may also prey on Indo-Pacific soft corals in the aquarium. As with all fireworms, this species has no jaws to bite off chunks of food, rather it must lick them to death. As the worm lacks the jaws to sever the pieces of its prey, feeding in Hermodice is a prolonged process. When they feed, Hermodice individuals typically swallow the ends of a gorgonian or soft coral and then proceed to lick the flesh off of it, while the ends are still attached to the colony. Such feeding is a lengthy process; it takes hours. During this period the worm really isn't going to go anywhere, it is tethered to its dinner. This species is also an obligate predator of these prey, although it may scavenge a bit, it will not, - in fact, it cannot, - eat other prey. If you have a Hermodice in your tank, you will either eventually find it on a prey organism munching away or see it crawling across the substrate.

Not known