Worst nightmare: a sea creature that stings like fire occupies the beaches of Texas (3 photos + 1 video)

The Atlantic and Mediterranean may also be home to sea creatures that are said to cause severe pain when touched, with the bite causing the body to burn.





Beachgoers in the Mediterranean and Atlantic are being warned of a creature from their "worst nightmares." Amphinomids, nicknamed fireworms for their venomous touch, have been showing up on the central Texas coast in recent weeks. But they could also be anywhere in the world.

Their bodies are covered in neurotoxin-laden bristles that break off on contact, and vacationers are now being urged to stay away from them. According to the Hart Institute for Gulf Studies, they are found in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean.



Jace Tunnell, director of public affairs at the institute, said the initial intense pain can last for several hours, followed by skin irritation that lasts for up to a week.

"These fireworms have been washing up on logs in central Texas over the last week, covered in barnacles, their food source," the researcher said.



They look like large earthworms with white bristles, he said. They're dark brown in color with little heads and antennae.

"The reason they call it a fireworm is because when it bites you, it looks like fire, because it has these bristles all over its body. The bristles break off easily on the skin, and some of them contain neurotoxins that can irritate the skin and leave marks for weeks," Tunnell explained. He added that there have been no deaths from the bites.

These worms are found throughout the world, and are especially common in ocean currents in the trash. Amphinome rostrata is best observed in water.