Bloodworm

/ˈblʌd.wɜːrm/ noun

Definition

A type of worm or larva with a reddish body, often used as fishing bait or found in marine sediments.

Etymology

Compound of 'blood' and 'worm,' named for the red coloring of the body (usually from hemoglobin or oxygen-carrying proteins). Common names for aquatic larvae often reference their distinctive colors.

Kelly Says

Bloodworms get their red color from hemoglobin—the same protein that makes human blood red! These tiny creatures are walking evidence that the chemistry of life repeats across the animal kingdom.

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