Bathers' new nightmare looks like a centipede: burns, pain… the fireworm is proliferating in the Mediterranean

The fireworm is proliferating in the Mediterranean. This venomous species is taking advantage of global warming and is burning bathers. Some specimens can reach 50 centimeters in length.

No need to go looking for stories of sea monsters to scare bathers… The fireworm, a venomous invertebrate, is proliferating in the Mediterranean, reports TF1 Info.

A venomous worm

Their scientific name ? Amphinomidae. A very pretty term to describe these pseudo marine millipedes. Clad in venomous silk, these little creatures can cause burns and inflammation when they come into contact with human skin.

His sting does not represent direct danger. Locally painful, it can sometimes cause nausea and headaches but is not life-threatening. Fireworms are not aggressive.

A voracious animal

​ The fireworm is voracious. It feeds on coral and dead fish as much as it does on fishing nets. It is also incredibly resilient: when you cut it, the part that has the head repels.

The height of its versatility – which we could do without & – he enjoys reefs as much as beach edges. The species has been proliferating on the coasts of the Mediterranean for several years, particularly fond of the mildness of its waters. Red, green, yellow… They can measure up to fifty centimeters, add our colleagues.