Facts

· Legend has it that Christopher Columbus and his crew witnessed the bioluminescent display of a similar species just before making landfall on the Americas.  

· The closest relatives to the annelida phylum are the mollusks.

· Odontosyllis phosphorea disappear in the winter and it is unknown where they go (Pickett, 2012).    

· Parapodia allow for a wide variety of movement (Hesselberg and Vincent, 2006). 

· Odontosyllis phosphorea are known as fire worms for their bioluminescent capabilities.

Figure 1. Photo of Odontosyllis phosphorea taken by Peter J. Bryant

· Odontosyllis phosphorea find protection from predators within silky cocoons (Jones and Wood, 2006).

· Odontosyllis phosphorea have immune systems just like humans (Dhainaut and Scaps, 2001)!

· Twilight is the optimal time for reproduction because it is a transition time when day time predators are sleeping and night time predators are just waking up. 

· Odontosyllis phosphorea often swallow their prey whole. 

· Odontosyllis phosphorea is well adapted to its habitat.

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