Australonuphis

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Australonuphis, commonly called Australian beach worms, are a genus of polychaetous annelids of the family Onuphidae that inhabit the intertidal zone of coastal beaches and are attracted to the surface by the stimulus of food. They are sought by anglers to be used as bait for fishing. Some species can grow more than two metres in length. They are blind but have a very good sense of smell, and eat decaying meat, fish and seaweeds that have washed to shore. Originally identified as a single species in 1868 (Diopatra teres), in 1878 they were placed in the genus Onuphis. A study in 1979 renamed two Americonuphis species as Australonuphis (A. teres and A. parateres), both being found in New South Wales. A novel species from the Ecuadorian coast was identified in 2008. Australian beach worms occur in millions on many surf beaches from Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. They are highly valued as bait by anglers because of their great length and muscular body. The worms can be collected from the sandy beach by attracting them to the surface with bait and subsequently extracting them from the sand by hand or with the aid of pliers.