Science correspondent
31 October 2017
What is the most terrifying
creature in the darkest corner of your imagination?
I tell you now, it may have to go
some to beat this beast.
It's a disgusting worm-like
organism that grabs you with four metal-reinforced jaws.
Once latched in place, these
lances inject you with a paralysing venom that also liquefies your flesh, which
the worm then proceeds to suck up. Nice.
Ok, the critter may not be much
longer than your little finger, but the close-up image certainly makes the
stomach churn.
The bloodworm is one of the many
"stars" that will feature in an exhibition dedicated to venomous
animals, set to open at London's Natural History Museum (NHM) next week.
If you have an aversion to
spiders, snakes, ants, wasps, scorpions, and even to the unassuming platypus
(yes, it's also venomous) - then I suggest you don't go.
But if you're fascinated by
evolution and some of the remarkable biochemistry it's managed to cook up over
the last half-a-billion years - you're unlikely to be disappointed.
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