Experts Identify Strange Creatures Found Along North Carolina Coast

By Sarah Tate

August 2, 2022

Photo: Getty Images

A strange sea creature seen along the coast of North Carolina has been identified thanks to the help of museum researchers.

The mysterious creatures were first spotted off the coast last month, with Cape Lookout National Seashore sharing photos of the long, rough creatures with white spikes sticking out along its sides, per ABC 11. After ruling out the sea cucumbers and sea slugs they had seen before, park officials took to social media to see if anyone knew just what they were. Now, weeks later, they finally have an answer.

On Sunday (July 31), the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences confirmed they helped "solve the mystery" of the bizarre creatures, which are actually called Polychaete worms, or bristle worms. The museum took to its Facebook page to share more information about the worms, including a warning to say away from them.

"Polychaete worms belong to the Family Amphinomidae, which also includes fireworms and sea mice," the post reads. "They are known as 'bristle worms' because of their thick bunches of seta that are coated in toxins and can cause skin irritation, so it's a very good idea not to touch them!"

Now that the mystery of what they are has been solved, what about the question of how they popped up off the coast? According to the museum, bristle worms often end up on a beach by drifting in on ocean debris. In the mysterious case of the North Carolina bristle worm, they arrived on a coconut.