'Unusual' Sea Creature Appears Along South Carolina Coast

It's springtime along the South Carolina coast, so that means visitors may see an "unusual" sea creature along the shores, WMBF reports.

According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, marine worms with hooked jaws, also called clamworms, have begun appearing along the coast. The creatures typically live on the seafloor, but they swarm the coastal waters during the full and new moons of the spring as they undergo a transformation.

"This fascinating phenomenon occurs every year at our marine headquarters in Charleston and is often followed by hungry throngs of fish and birds along the marsh edge," the department said in a post on its Facebook page.

The department posted a video showing the tiny creatures and what a swarm may look like.

But the department says there's no need to worry, as they have no interest in harming humans.

"The truth is that there's nothing to fear from marine worms in South Carolina," it said in another post on Facebook. "Spawning swarms are short-lived, lasting only a couple days, and most visitors to the coast will never see one."

The post concluded, "The spawning of clamworms in the spring is one of those fascinating seasonal events that makes life along the coast so interesting — not something to fear."

Photo: Getty Images