A black silhouette of a long curled lugworm, with an uneven thicker front region and a narrow curled tail.
Attributed biological silhouette illustration

A black silhouette of a long curled lugworm, with an uneven thicker front region and a narrow curled tail.

Marina Vingiani, PhyloPic; CC BY 4.0. · CC BY 4.0 · Image source

Attributed silhouette illustration labelled Arenicola marina by the source; it shows an outline, without colour or diagnostic detail.

Overview

MarLIN describes a cylindrical body in which 19 anterior chaeta-bearing segments include thirteen with branching gills, followed by a narrower hind region without gills or chaetae. Adults are commonly 12–20 cm long.

The worm lies head-down in a U- or J-shaped burrow and swallows sediment to obtain microorganisms and detritus. Feeding leaves a surface depression at one end and a coiled cast at the other. Body contractions irrigate the burrow, and extracellular haemoglobin in the blood supports oxygen transport.

A Devon and Severn IFCA survey set a 2012–2013 density baseline on five English Severn beaches. Adult and juvenile distributions varied within and between beaches, and some upper-shore areas were suggested as nurseries. Estimates broadly agreed with a 1972 comparison, though this does not demonstrate present-day population stability.

19 anterior chaeta-bearing segmentsBranching gills on thirteen segmentsGill-less, chaeta-less hind regionU- or J-shaped burrowSediment-swallowing feederExtracellular haemoglobin
01

Origins & earliest records

The Linnaeus 1758 attribution records scientific naming, not evolutionary origin; original type material was not examined for this profile.

02

Evidence & interpretation

Based on the MarLIN species account and a Devon and Severn IFCA survey summary; neither is treated as a complete review of the literature.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Blow lug (Arenicola marina)

    · 2008

    Selected bibliography; MarLIN species account for anatomy, burrowing, feeding and classification.

  2. 02

    Blow lug Arenicola marina density in the Severn Estuary 2012/2013

    · n.d.

    Selected bibliography; Devon and Severn IFCA survey summary for Severn beach densities.

Family, evolution & connections

Taxonomic classification

A hierarchy of classified groups, not a chain of direct ancestors.

Source note: Only family and species placement given in the MarLIN account are recorded; higher ranks were not established from the packet.

  1. FamilyArenicolidae
  2. SpeciesArenicola marina Linnaeus, 1758

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Institutional species accountBlow lug (Arenicola marina)Research access: 2026-10-07
  2. Survey report (PDF)Blow lug Arenicola marina density in the Severn Estuary 2012/2013Research access: 2026-10-07

Image credits

Attributed biological silhouette illustration

A black silhouette of a long curled lugworm, with an uneven thicker front region and a narrow curled tail.

Marina Vingiani, PhyloPic; CC BY 4.0. · CC BY 4.0 · Image source

Attributed silhouette illustration labelled Arenicola marina by the source; it shows an outline, without colour or diagnostic detail.

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