“Can you tell me what kind of worm this is?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the pink, and presumably large, worm pictured below. “I found it at the bottom of my toilet. My husband fished it out and put it in a plastic container. Any help you can offer would be hugely appreciated! Thank you!” To begin with, we just want to thank our reader for the excellent photo. She also sent in more, but we opted to include only the best one. They were all fantastic though. Photos like these greatly help us identify the creatures we are asked about. And on top of that, it is far more fascinating to see such creatures in such detail.

Given what this worm looks like, and where it was found, we think our reader found a bloodworm. The name is somewhat macabre, but our reader should not worry about it. Bloodworms are quite harmless, generally speaking. Some species, like the glycera worm, can bite or cause allergic reactions using their bristles, but we do not think this worm is a glycera worm, given its lack of bristles. However, the coloration does greatly remind us of the glycera worm, which is what led us to believe that this is a bloodworm. Now, the term ‘bloodworm’ is actually quite vague when it comes to identifying a specific species of worm, because it is actually an umbrella term that encompasses several species of worms, and even creatures that are not worms at all, but insect species (like the red midge fly larva).

What bloodworms all share in common is their ability to sustain for long periods of time underwater (and in other low oxygen conditions). The reason for this is because they produce a lot of hemoglobin (or some type of equivalent), which is the protein that carries oxygen in our red blood cells. It is also this phenomenon that gives bloodworms their red color, which in turn is what gives them their name. Since we do not know exactly what type of bloodworm it is that our reader found, we do advise avoiding physical contact. Because even though it is likely not dangerous, per se, it might still trigger an allergic reaction. You never know. We recommend taking it outside, ideally somewhere close to a body of freshwater.

In conclusion, we think our reader found a bloodworm in her toilet, though we are not sure exactly what species it is. Its segmentation tells us that it might be an annelid, which is the phylum that earthworms belong to. We hope this helps, and we wish our reader and her husband the very best!

Summary

Article Name

Large Pink Worm in Toilet is a Bloodworm

Description

"Can you tell me what kind of worm this is?" asks this reader in her submission regarding the pink, and presumably large, worm pictured below. "I found it at the bottom of my toilet. My husband fished it out and put it in a plastic container. Any help you can offer would be hugely appreciated! Thank you!" To begin with, we just want to thank our reader for the excellent photo. She also sent in more, but we opted to include only the best one. They were all fantastic though. Photos like these greatly help us identify the creatures we are asked about. And on top of that, it is far more fascinating to see such creatures in such detail.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton