Australonuphis, commonly called Australian beach worms, are a genus of polychaetous annelid of the family Onuphidae that inhabit the intertidal zone of coastal beaches and are attracted to the surface by the stimulus of food. They are sought by anglers to be used as bait for fishing. Some species can grow more than two metres in length.[1][2] They are blind but have a very good sense of smell, and eat decaying meat, fish and seaweeds that have washed to shore.[3]
Originally identified as a single species in 1868 (Diopatra teres), in 1878 they were placed in the genus Onuphis.[4] A study in 1979 renamed two Americonuphis species as Australonuphis (A. teres and A. parateres), both being found in New South Wales.[4] A novel species from the Ecuadorian coast was identified in 2008.[5]
Australian beach worms occur in millions on many surf beaches from Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.[6] They are highly valued as bait by anglers because of their great length and muscular body.[7] The worms can be collected from the sandy beach by attracting them to the surface with bait and subsequently extracting them from the sand by hand or with the aid of pliers.[8]
The genus includes four species which can be considered as two pairs of species: the Central and South American pair is A. hartmanae and A. casamiquelorum; and the Australian pair is A. teres and A. parateres.[4] (Onuphis mariahirsuta has been referred to as A. mariahirsuta but this classification is not clear.)[9][10]
A. teres and A. parateresedit
A. teres and A. parateres were identified in 1868 by Ehlers as Diopatra teres[11] and in 1878 they were placed in the genus Onuphis by Grube.[4] In 1979, Paxton re-classified them into their current taxonomy,[4] in what is regarded as the authority study on Australian beach worms.[5] During her study, Paxton identified three worms known by local collectors as 'slimy', 'stumpy' and 'kingworm': slimy was at that time a separate species (Americonuphis) which Paxton replaced with Australonuphis. Stumpies were found to be young kingworms. The holotype of A. teres is a kingworm and the closely related slimy was described as A.parateres, sp. nov.
A. hartmanae and A. casamiquelorumedit
A. hartmanae was identified as Rhamphobrachium hartmanae in 1956 by Friedrich,[12][13] and then reclassified in 1974 along with A. casamiquelorum by Orensanz.[14]
Use as bait for fishingedit
Beach worms (especially 'kingworms' A. teres) are targeted by anglers for use as bait to catch fish.[15] To catch beach worms, anglers generally wait for low tide when the intertidal zone is exposed, and lure worms up out of the sand to the surface by washing a bait (often of old fish frames or pilchards in a stocking) in the water as waves recede.[16] The worm smells the fish and raises its head up out of the sand as much as 25 millimetres (0.98 in), allowing the angler to see the worm, catch it, and pull it out of the sand by hand or with pliers.[17] The caught worms are then used immediately as bait for fishing, or stored in a bucket of fresh sea water or a handful of damp sand for later use. If undamaged during the catching process, and stored well, worms may survive for longer than a day. Worms can also be preserved by immersion in alcohol (commonly methylated spirits) for 5 seconds and then left to dry on newspaper and either stored in an insulated cooler or refrigerator or frozen.[18]
A caught worm
Catching beach worms, NSW Australia
Referencesedit
^Hartman, O (1967). "Larval development of benthic invertebrates in Antarctic seas: early development of Nothria notialis (Monro) and Paronuphis antarctica (Monro) in Bransfield Strait, Antarctic Peninsula". Proc. Symp. Pacific-Antarctic Sci. Tokyo, JARE Scient. Rep. 1: 205–8.
^"Giant Beach Worm". The Australian Museum. December 14, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
^Rozbaczylo, N; Castilla, J C (1981). "Australonuphis-Violacea New-Species A New Polychaete Onuphidae From The Southeast Pacific Ocean". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 94: 761–770. ISSN 0006-324X.
^ abcdePaxton, H. (1979). "Taxonomy and aspects of the life history of Australian beachworms (Polychaeta: Onuphidae)". Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 30 (2): 265–294. doi:10.1071/MF9790265 – via CSIRO.
^ abDe Leon, Angel; Rodriguez, Maryherminia; Degraer, Steven (August 1, 2008). "A new species of Australonuphis (Polychaeta: Onuphidae) from the eastern Pacific". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK. 88 (4): 739–742. Bibcode:2008JMBUK..88..739D. doi:10.1017/S0025315408001252. S2CID 85087923.
^Dakin, W. J.; Bennett, I.; Pope, E. C. (1952). Australian Seashores. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. p. 372.
^"Beach Worm". www.dpi.nsw.gov.au. April 26, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
^"How to catch Beach Worm for bait - Video resources and tools all you need". Fishing Australia. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
^"Giant Beach Worm". The Australian Museum. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
^"WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Hirsutonuphis mariahirsuta (Paxton, 1979)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
^Ehlers, E. (1868). Die Borstenwiirmer (Annelid a Chaetopoda) nach systematischen und anatomischen Untersuchungen dargestellt. Leipzig: Engelmann. pp. 269–748 (pp. 1–268 of this work were published in 1864).
^Friedrich, H. (1956). "Mitteilungen über neue und wenig bekannte Polychaeten aus Mittel- und Südamerika". Senckenbergiana Biol. 37: 57–68.
^"WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Australonuphis hartmanae (Friedrich, 1956)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
^Orensanz, J. M. (1974). "Los anelidos poliquetos de la provincia biogeografica Argentina". Onuphidae. Physis Secc. A. 33: 75–122.
^Alexander, Harriet (January 3, 2011). "Quick! Before the worm turns". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
^"Beach Worms—As Big As Snakes". The Sun-Herald (Sydney, NSW). November 15, 1953. p. 82. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
^"Status of Fisheries Resources in NSW, 2008/09: Beachworms (Onuphidae)" (PDF). Wild Fisheries Research Program, NSW, Department of Primary Industries, Australia. April 1, 2010.
^"Worms: Beach haute cuisine". Fishing Monthly Magazines. December 11, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
January 01, 1970
australonuphis, commonly, called, australian, beach, worms, genus, polychaetous, annelid, family, onuphidae, that, inhabit, intertidal, zone, coastal, beaches, attracted, surface, stimulus, food, they, sought, anglers, used, bait, fishing, some, species, grow,. Australonuphis commonly called Australian beach worms are a genus of polychaetous annelid of the family Onuphidae that inhabit the intertidal zone of coastal beaches and are attracted to the surface by the stimulus of food They are sought by anglers to be used as bait for fishing Some species can grow more than two metres in length 1 2 They are blind but have a very good sense of smell and eat decaying meat fish and seaweeds that have washed to shore 3 Australonuphis Australian beach worms in a bucket Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Annelida Clade Pleistoannelida Subclass Errantia Order Eunicida Family Onuphidae Genus Australonuphis Species A casamiquelorum A hartmanae A mariahirsuta A parateres A teres Originally identified as a single species in 1868 Diopatra teres in 1878 they were placed in the genus Onuphis 4 A study in 1979 renamed two Americonuphis species as Australonuphis A teres and A parateres both being found in New South Wales 4 A novel species from the Ecuadorian coast was identified in 2008 5 Australian beach worms occur in millions on many surf beaches from Queensland New South Wales and South Australia 6 They are highly valued as bait by anglers because of their great length and muscular body 7 The worms can be collected from the sandy beach by attracting them to the surface with bait and subsequently extracting them from the sand by hand or with the aid of pliers 8 Contents 1 Species 1 1 A teres and A parateres 1 2 A hartmanae and A casamiquelorum 2 Use as bait for fishing 3 ReferencesSpecies editThe genus includes four species which can be considered as two pairs of species the Central and South American pair is A hartmanae and A casamiquelorum and the Australian pair is A teres and A parateres 4 Onuphis mariahirsuta has been referred to as A mariahirsuta but this classification is not clear 9 10 A teres and A parateres edit A teres and A parateres were identified in 1868 by Ehlers as Diopatra teres 11 and in 1878 they were placed in the genus Onuphis by Grube 4 In 1979 Paxton re classified them into their current taxonomy 4 in what is regarded as the authority study on Australian beach worms 5 During her study Paxton identified three worms known by local collectors as slimy stumpy and kingworm slimy was at that time a separate species Americonuphis which Paxton replaced with Australonuphis Stumpies were found to be young kingworms The holotype of A teres is a kingworm and the closely related slimy was described as A parateres sp nov A hartmanae and A casamiquelorum edit A hartmanae was identified as Rhamphobrachium hartmanae in 1956 by Friedrich 12 13 and then reclassified in 1974 along with A casamiquelorum by Orensanz 14 Use as bait for fishing editBeach worms especially kingworms A teres are targeted by anglers for use as bait to catch fish 15 To catch beach worms anglers generally wait for low tide when the intertidal zone is exposed and lure worms up out of the sand to the surface by washing a bait often of old fish frames or pilchards in a stocking in the water as waves recede 16 The worm smells the fish and raises its head up out of the sand as much as 25 millimetres 0 98 in allowing the angler to see the worm catch it and pull it out of the sand by hand or with pliers 17 The caught worms are then used immediately as bait for fishing or stored in a bucket of fresh sea water or a handful of damp sand for later use If undamaged during the catching process and stored well worms may survive for longer than a day Worms can also be preserved by immersion in alcohol commonly methylated spirits for 5 seconds and then left to dry on newspaper and either stored in an insulated cooler or refrigerator or frozen 18 nbsp A caught worm source source source source source source source source Catching beach worms NSW AustraliaReferences edit Hartman O 1967 Larval development of benthic invertebrates in Antarctic seas early development of Nothria notialis Monro and Paronuphis antarctica Monro in Bransfield Strait Antarctic Peninsula Proc Symp Pacific Antarctic Sci Tokyo JARE Scient Rep 1 205 8 Giant Beach Worm The Australian Museum December 14 2020 Retrieved January 16 2020 Rozbaczylo N Castilla J C 1981 Australonuphis Violacea New Species A New Polychaete Onuphidae From The Southeast Pacific Ocean Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 94 761 770 ISSN 0006 324X a b c d e Paxton H 1979 Taxonomy and aspects of the life history of Australian beachworms Polychaeta Onuphidae Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 30 2 265 294 doi 10 1071 MF9790265 via CSIRO a b De Leon Angel Rodriguez Maryherminia Degraer Steven August 1 2008 A new species of Australonuphis Polychaeta Onuphidae from the eastern Pacific Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 88 4 739 742 Bibcode 2008JMBUK 88 739D doi 10 1017 S0025315408001252 S2CID 85087923 Dakin W J Bennett I Pope E C 1952 Australian Seashores Sydney Angus and Robertson p 372 Beach Worm www dpi nsw gov au April 26 2016 Retrieved February 9 2020 How to catch Beach Worm for bait Video resources and tools all you need Fishing Australia Retrieved February 9 2020 Giant Beach Worm The Australian Museum Retrieved February 9 2020 WoRMS World Register of Marine Species Hirsutonuphis mariahirsuta Paxton 1979 www marinespecies org Retrieved February 9 2020 Ehlers E 1868 Die Borstenwiirmer Annelid a Chaetopoda nach systematischen und anatomischen Untersuchungen dargestellt Leipzig Engelmann pp 269 748 pp 1 268 of this work were published in 1864 Friedrich H 1956 Mitteilungen uber neue und wenig bekannte Polychaeten aus Mittel und Sudamerika Senckenbergiana Biol 37 57 68 WoRMS World Register of Marine Species Australonuphis hartmanae Friedrich 1956 www marinespecies org Retrieved February 16 2020 Orensanz J M 1974 Los anelidos poliquetos de la provincia biogeografica Argentina Onuphidae Physis Secc A 33 75 122 Alexander Harriet January 3 2011 Quick Before the worm turns The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved January 16 2020 Beach Worms As Big As Snakes The Sun Herald Sydney NSW November 15 1953 p 82 Retrieved January 16 2020 Status of Fisheries Resources in NSW 2008 09 Beachworms Onuphidae PDF Wild Fisheries Research Program NSW Department of Primary Industries Australia April 1 2010 Worms Beach haute cuisine Fishing Monthly Magazines December 11 2007 Retrieved January 16 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Australonuphis amp oldid 1218103402, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
