Thanks to the horrifying xenomorphic nightmare known as Twitter, I just learned about the Eulagisca Gigantea, an Antarctic scale worm with a retractable mouth tube and a body lined with creepy gold bristles that's roughly the equivalent size of a squirrel.
As Australian Geographic magazine explains:
Scale worms belong to the family Polynoidae, which includes many species of short and flat marine worms found all over the world.
They're characterised by scales that cover their bodies called elytra, and while little is known about their eating habits, researchers have suggested that they're active hunters, which is good news for pretty much no one.
And here's the best bit. The part that looks like a head with no eyes is actually a retractable proboscis – a tubular sucking mouthpart – that the scale worm usually turns inside-out and folds up into its body.
Like an actual Xenomorph, when it's ready to feed, it unfurls this 7-cm-long appendage and tears apart its prey with its sharp mouthparts.
Enjoy your nightmare fuel!
