More on the Namalycastis bait worm ...
Several years ago, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre
contacted me about this worm and sent several specimens. I can confirm
that it is definitely a Namalycastis (Nereididae: Namanereidinae), and
probably an undescribed species. The specimens are from Vietnam, but I
have no more precise locality information, so I have hesitated to describe it.
Recently, Jiroh Nishi told me about a namanereid being imported by
Japanese bait fishing companies via a French company. It is the same
species. In Japan (and Europe presumably) it is called the ''super cordelle
worm'', and for those that are interested, a web search on "nuclear worm" or
"super cordelle worm" will bring up more information on this amazing
creature, including the name of the French bait company. I have written to
this company in the (probably vain) hope that they will tell me where they
source the worms. If anyone on the list has some ideas about how I might
find the source of this worm harvesting operation (e.g. Vietnamese marine
biologists/fisheries persons), could they please contact me. It would be nice
to have a type locality so that we can put a name on the ''biggest, badest,
pinkest'' polychaete known. All the best, Chris
Dr Chris Glasby
Curator of Worms
Natural Sciences
Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
GPO Box 4646
Darwin NT 0801
AUSTRALIA
Email: chris.glasby at nt.gov.au
Ph: +61-8-8999 8108
Fax: +61-8-8999 8289
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You have been sent this message from g.read at niwa.cri.nz as a courtesy of
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To view the entire article, go to
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Gone Fission: The 'nuclear' Worm
By Ken Ringle
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