Giant, penis-eating worm found in UK aquarium

[Malthus]

I mean really. You can't make this shit up.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=2279

giant worm that eats penises and feeds them to its offspring has been found at a public aquarium in the UK.

Staff at The Deep in Hull recently discovered a 1m/39" specimen while moving rocks in one of the aquarium's exhibits.

The species, Eunice aphroditois, is a large predatory polychaete worm that can reach up to 3m/10' in length, though most are around a meter long. It typically feeds on live fish.

Known as the Bobbit worm, after the infamous Lorena Bobbit who chopped off her husband's penis in a domestic dispute, females of the species bite off the penis of their male partner and feed it to their young.

[viper37]

Doesn't it belong in the gay news thread?

[Malthus]

Doesn't it belong in the gay news thread?

Gay worms have nothing to fear from this species. 

[HVC]

Doesn't it belong in the gay news thread?

Gay worms have nothing to fear from this species. 

Poor transgendered worms though, they get the chewed off end of the stick

[Josquius]

Bobbit worm

But wtf? How could they just discover something this big in an aquarium?

[Syt]

Bobbit worm

But wtf? How could they just discover something this big in an aquarium?

Cleaning time.

[DisturbedPervert]

Bobbit worm

But wtf? How could they just discover something this big in an aquarium?

All kinds of nasty critters that will only come out at night will hide in the live rock and go unnoticed for very long periods of time.  With home aquariums it can be a good idea to quarantine live rock for a period to make sure no nasties are hiding in it before putting it in the tank.

[DGuller]

Wow, that sounds like one toothy blowjob.

[Ideologue]

I mean really. You can't make this shit up.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=2279

giant worm that eats penises and feeds them to its offspring has been found at a public aquarium in the UK.

Staff at The Deep in Hull recently discovered a 1m/39" specimen while moving rocks in one of the aquarium's exhibits.

The species, Eunice aphroditois, is a large predatory polychaete worm that can reach up to 3m/10' in length, though most are around a meter long. It typically feeds on live fish.

Known as the Bobbit worm, after the infamous Lorena Bobbit who chopped off her husband's penis in a domestic dispute, females of the species bite off the penis of their male partner and feed it to their young.

The quasi-nuptial gift increases the odds of the male's offspring producing offspring of their own.  Sensible strategy for simple lifeforms.

Does the worm die, or just lose his dick?  It's not very clear.  If the latter, does it regrow it quickly?  Are their gonads or genitals on each segment, or several segments, or just one?  Polychaetes tend to have multiple sets.

I wonder if the males or females are promiscuous?  It would be in the female's interest to feed on the male regardless of permitting him paternity, so pressure would exist for it to mate with any male if it can exercise sperm choice; it might be in male's interest to be somewhat choosy, since he's giving up his dick, or at least one of his dicks.

[Malthus]

Oops - Bobbit worms lack, well, penises. Nor do they have sex as such, or even come near each other.

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/bobbit-worm

First off, polychaetes don't have penises or vaginas. Most of them are what we call broadcast spawners which means the males & females spew out eggs & sperm into the water. The eggs & sperm meet, the eggs get fertilized & start developing. There is no such thing as mating/copulation not do males & females come into contact.

Edit: look at the pics in the link. That's one ugly-ass worm.

[Josquius]

Reminds me very much of a sandworm ala Dune

[The Brain]

I have a penis.

[Malthus]

I have a penis.

Whose? 

[The Brain]

I have a penis.

Whose? 

It's mine now.

[Ed Anger]

Brain has the penis of Charles XII.