The beer can worm held in a dustpan during otter trawl lab. Trawl was done Thursday October 9, 2003 in 200 feet of water between Arroyo Burro Beach and the Santa Barbara Lighthouse. Trawl done aboard vessel 'Spirit' from Santa Barbara Harbor by the Biological Oceanography class at Santa Barbara City College fall 2003. Photo by Sue Williams, Biological Sciences Division Aid, SBCC.
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The beer can worm held by the instructor during the trawl lab. At this time its identification was not known but it was a VERY big segmented worm. It was learned later that this worm is Hololepida magna, commonly called the beer can worm because it has been found inside beer cans as well as soda cans and other man-made objects brought up in trawls in the ocean. In our case the worm came up inside a leather boot. Photo by Sue Williams, Biological Sciences Division Aid, SBCC.
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The worm with a six inch ruler for scale.
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The front of the worm. The specimen was identified (by photos over the Internet) by Leslie Harris, Collection Manager of the Polychaete (segmented worm) Collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.
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The head of the worm. The specimen was preserved in alcohol.
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The side of the worm showing the segments and its parapodia. The specimen will be donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History at their request (their specimens are fragmented). It is always fun to find something new and different during class trips!!
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