Worms, centipedes, jellyfish

Worm and minibeast identifier

The rest of the living world — the part with no feathers, no fur, no familiar shell.

This is the catch-all group, and that is exactly where the most surprising identifications hide. A compost worm, a centipede under a log, a stranded jellyfish: none of them has an obvious name, and all of them have one.

54 species4 min read
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In brief

How do you identify a worm, a centipede or a jellyfish?

This group gathers everything that fits nowhere else: earthworms, millipedes, jellyfish, starfish, leeches. It is the catch-all of the living world, and that is exactly why the most surprising identifications turn up here — nobody has a name ready for what they meet. Image identification works well because silhouettes differ sharply from one subgroup to the next. The best shot is from above, animal whole and stretched out, on a contrasting background: dark soil for a pale worm, pale sand for a jellyfish. SafaRoll covers 54 invertebrates in the catalogue.

When to use it
  • 01.

    In the compost, on a worm turned up by the fork.

  • 02.

    Under a log, on a centipede.

  • 03.

    On a beach, on a stranded jellyfish — without touching it.

54 species · invertebrates

Pacific Purple Sea Urchin

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Common

snakelocks anemone

Anemonia viridis

Common

Nightcrawler

Lumbricus terrestris

Common

Arctic Green Sea Urchin

Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis

Common

Plumose Anemone

Metridium senile

Common

Common Sea Star

Asterias rubens

Common

Indo-Pacific Rock-boring Urchin

Echinometra mathaei

Common

Red Sea Urchin

Mesocentrotus franciscanus

Common

Compass Jelly

Chrysaora hysoscella

Common

Spiny Starfish

Marthasterias glacialis

Common

Mediterranean Red Sea Star

Echinaster sepositus

Common

Black sea urchin

Arbacia lixula

Common

Bearded Fireworm

Hermodice carunculata

Common

Atlantic Rock-boring Urchin

Echinometra lucunter

Common

Red Cushion Sea Star

Oreaster reticulatus

Common

Horse Leech

Haemopis sanguisuga

Common

Collector Urchin

Tripneustes gratilla

Common

Strawberry Anemone

Actinia fragacea

Common

Bubble-tip Anemone

Entacmaea quadricolor

Common

Symmetrical Brain Coral

Pseudodiploria strigosa

Common

Giant Anemone

Condylactis gigantea

Common

Striped Green Sea Anemone

Diadumene lineata

Common

Magnificent Sea Anemone

Radianthus magnifica

Common

Mangrove Upsidedown Jelly

Cassiopea andromeda

Common

Caribbean Christmas Tree Worm

Spirobranchus giganteus

Common

Elkhorn Coral

Acropora palmata

Common

Greater Star Coral

Montastraea cavernosa

Common

Luzon Sea Star

Echinaster luzonicus

Common

Grooved Brain Coral

Diploria labyrinthiformis

Common

Pineapple Sea Cucumber

Thelenota ananas

Common

Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin

Paracentrotus lividus

Uncommon

Lion's Mane Jelly

Cyanea capillata

Uncommon

Black Longspine Urchin

Diadema setosum

Uncommon

Atlantic Long-spined Sea Urchin

Diadema antillarum

Uncommon

Sea Potato

Echinocardium cordatum

Uncommon

Banded Sea Urchin

Echinothrix calamaris

Uncommon

Variegated Sea Urchin

Lytechinus variegatus

Uncommon

Violet Sea Urchin

Sphaerechinus granularis

Uncommon

Red Pencil Urchin

Heterocentrotus mamillatus

Uncommon

Oyster Sponge

Crambe crambe

Uncommon

Cauliflower Coral

Pocillopora verrucosa

Uncommon

Daisy Anemone

Cereus pedunculatus

Uncommon

Fried Egg Jelly

Cotylorhiza tuberculata

Uncommon

Shingle Urchin

Colobocentrotus atratus

Uncommon

Yellow Cluster Anemone

Parazoanthus axinellae

Uncommon

Massive Starlet Coral

Siderastrea siderea

Uncommon

Greenfish Sea Cucumber

Stichopus chloronotus

Uncommon

Australian Spotted Jelly

Phyllorhiza punctata

Uncommon

Mediterranean Red Coral

Corallium rubrum

Uncommon

Pearl Bubble Coral

Physogyra lichtensteini

Uncommon

Catala's star

Thromidia catalai

Uncommon

Feather Black Coral

Plumapathes pennacea

Uncommon

West Indian Sea Egg

Tripneustes ventricosus

Very rare

Branching Fire Coral

Millepora alcicornis

Legendary
Frequently asked

What people often ask

Yes, as long as you do not touch it: stinging cells stay active for hours after stranding, including on a dead animal. A shot from above, from fifty centimetres, is enough.

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