palolo worm

noun

1. the worm Eunice viridis, a polychaete that lives in burrows among the coral reefs of several South Pacific islands, producing sperm or eggs in posterior segments that are cast off periodically in enormous numbers.

palolo worm

/ pəˈləʊləʊ /

noun

1. any of several polychaete worms of the family Eunicidae, esp Eunice viridis, of the S Pacific Ocean: reproductive segments are shed from the posterior end of the body when breeding

Word History and Origins

Origin of palolo worm¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Word History and Origins

Origin of palolo worm¹

C20 palolo, from Samoan or Tongan