Thousands of ‘penis fish’ exposed in California

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2019 06:00:31 +0000

‘PENIS FISH.’ A picture released by iNaturalist on June 16, 2019 shows a person holding a marine worm in Bodega beach, California. (AFP)

Thousands of marine worms dubbed “penis fish” for their shape and color appeared this week on a California beach after a strong winter storm exposed them.

The creatures — more commonly known as fat innkeeper worms — covered Drakes Beach, 50 miles north of San Francisco.

Despite their eye-catching appearance, the pulsating worms which reach around 10 inches are adept at digging U-shaped burrows on beaches and marshes, using the tunnels to catch food.

Found almost exclusively in California, they are themselves considered a culinary delicacy in South Korea, with reputed aphrodisiac effects.

“Yes, the physical design of the fat innkeeper worm has some explaining to do,” wrote biologist Ivan Parr. “But the fat innkeeper is perfectly shaped for a life spent underground.”

Parr explained in a column on the Bay Nature website this week that fossil evidence of the animals d
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