Subject: Mongolian Death Worm

Cryptid Class: Cryptid Worm

Threat Level: Potentially High, otherwise Mild

Description: Also known as the olgoi-khorkhoi, or “colon worm”, the Mongolian death worm is a desert-dwelling member of the polychaete class of annelid worms, sharing most of its lineage with Alitta virens (the sandworm or king ragworm). They are primarily a burrowing worm that can hunt for prey by sensing vibrations from the surface through surrounding sand. Fortunately, they are no more than two feet long, so it won’t intentionally hunt anything larger than itself. Unfortunately, however, they are highly venomous, and are capable of spraying their venom in a stream of mucus towards potential prey (or anyone hapless enough to get its attention). There have been some major misconceptions about the death worm, including, but not limited to: producing electrical discharge, being a gigantic worm that can swallow people whole, and laying eggs inside of camel stomachs.

Diet: Death worms are primarily a predatory species, hunting desert animals such as lizards and rodents. In all honesty, anything that’s smaller than its mouth and can easily swallow be fair game. To supplement their diet, death worms also partake in the goyo plant, which may play a part in the potency of their venom. This is why most death worms tend to congregate around goyo plants. There have been a couple of incidents where it tried to eat a researcher’s hand, which was disastrous for both parties.

Distribution: As its name implies, the Mongolian death worm lives exclusively in the Gobi Desert. In particular, these worms tend to inhabit the western and southern portions of the Gobi Desert. They spend the majority of their life under the sand as a way to escape the harsh desert heat. They hibernate deep underground for most of the year until they become active again between June and July. They can also become active when it rains or when the ground becomes wet.

Physiology: The death worm has a similar body plan as most polychaetes, in which it has a segmented body along with several parapodia. Each parapodia contains chaetae, which are bristles made of chitin. These chaetae aid the death worm in maneuvering through the desert sand. The chaetae also serve two other purposes: one is for detecting vibrations in the sand that can indicate prey; another is for defense, due to being sharp and claw-like. When the worm moves, it creates an undulating motion as its parapodia move through the sand. The head of the worm has a row of chitinous “teeth”, which conceal a pair of teeth inside its mouth. Also, inside its mouth is a specialized venom gland that mixes its neurotoxin with mucous and shoots it out when it targets its prey. This sticky concoction (which shoots out like silly string) acts as a paralyzing agent that renders the prey immobile.

Note: These pudgy little worms are highly misunderstood creatures that are often caught in a “wrong-place, wrong-time” scenario, as with most cryptids and animals. They are remarkable survivors that make the most of it while living in the desert. On a side note, I had the unfortunate task of finding out if a death worm is edible. They aren’t: they taste like mud doused in kerosene.