About

These saltwater annelids eat a variety of dead organic matter, including the wooden planks of ship hulls, making them a menace to marine traffic. An infestation of scuttle worms can sink a boat in a matter of days if they bloom unnoticed. For this reason seagoing vessels are routinely dry-docked and inspected before any extended sea voyage.
Common Names: Scuttle worms, Ship Grubs

Description

Classification: Annelid
Size: Up to 3 centimetres (Up to 1.25 inches)
Appearance: White segmented worms with a ring of tiny black bristles at each segment. Their mouths are a tri-part hinged beak like structure.

Social grouping: No structured groups exist, but they seldom travel very far from where they hatch, unless carried by a boat or ship.
Temperament: Oblivious, will react to touch by squirming away.
Intelligence: Negligible
Reproduction: Scuttle worms are hermaphrodites and when food is plentiful will mate and lay eggs in the tunnels they chew through waterlogged wood. The eggs hatch in a few weeks, and begin the cycle anew, becoming adult sized and sexually mature after a month or more given sufficient food material.