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Yesterday I found some sort of giant nematode in the swimming pool. I can't figure out anything about it, however, not even whether it is terrestrial, aquatic, or parasitic. I dechlorinated it and put in the hot tub, which is broken and is now a makeshift pond that is home to assorted wildlife (newts, salamanders, mosquitofish, aquatic insects, etc). It seems to be doing well in there, I guess. It just sort of digs around in the silt and debris at the bottom.

It is about a foot long, and is pretty stiff (sort of like half-cooked spaghetti). It is brown in color but has iridescences that can be seen in the sunlight. It has no noticeable mouthparts, which most parasitic worms have. It has grooves that go all the way down its body.

Here are some pictures...

Worm in container, dechlorinating:


Holding worm up to show length and stiffness:


Front end:


Back end:


Does anyone have any idea even what family or order it belongs to? I can barely find any information on the taxonomy of Nematodes online, let alone ones in California.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Are you sure it't not just some sort of earth worm? I have seen long skinny ones and big fat ones.

Earthworms are Annelids (segmented worms). This worm had no segments.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

yeah this is kinda creepy, but when i worked for the animal shelter in my town, they had a jar of "heartworms" in a dog heart.. and that looks ALOT like that.... im sure its not a heartworm cruisin around your pond... but its for sure a nematode... it looks like some kind of roundworm.

*Chelle*
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I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

Looks more like a nematomorph.

Awesome, I think that's it.

Apparently as juveniles they are parasites of insects like crickets and roaches, but as adults they are free-living and aquatic. They are harmless to vertebrates, though.

It seems pretty happy in the hot tub, so I guess I'll just leave it there.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

how could it *not* be happy in the hot tub?

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

what the heck... "horse hair worm" it seriously does look like horsehair... thats so weird it has no visible mouthparts...



one last question:

why in the world is your hottub a home for wildlife??? i'd fix that sucker and be enjoying it!!!!

*Chelle*
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I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

"why in the world is your hottub a home for wildlife??? i'd fix that sucker and be enjoying it!!!!"

This is why:



It's not really safe to be around... I can only access it from two sides.

Here's what the inside looks like... It's not pretty but the local wildlife enjoys it a lot. It attracts several different species of frogs and salamanders, and I'd say it has about 70 gallons of water (I'm going to fill it up a bit more though).

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I did not know that about worms. At least your hot tub is being used for something and not just rotting away.

that might make a pretty cool underground pond of some sorts! if you could get the time and equipment to bury it, it might turn out to be pretty neat-o.

*Chelle*
_______________________________________________
I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

haha, OWNT!!

"that might make a pretty cool underground pond of some sorts! if you could get the time and equipment to bury it, it might turn out to be pretty neat-o."

It used to have the cover over it, which was really close to being buried, and it was just some sort of scorpion-colony.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

yikes!

*Chelle*
_______________________________________________
I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...