We live on the Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi, Texas. There was a big thunderstorm that dumped several inches of rain at our home. We live about a quarter of a mile from the bay.
My daughter found it in a shallow puddle on the sidewalk. The creature is about 2-3 inches and about as big around as a pencil. Not sure where it came from or what it is, any ideas?
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$\begingroup$ Welcome to Biology.SE! I suspect this could be part of a plant rather than an animal. Did you see any sign of movement from the organism? Were there any flowering plants in the vicinity? $\endgroup$– tyersomeMay 16, 2020 at 23:55
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$\begingroup$ I agree with tyersome, it has green on it and it looks like a root from a plant. There are water animals with tails charmingly called rat-tailed-maggots, which are hoverfly larvae, although they are different. $\endgroup$– bandybabboonMay 17, 2020 at 9:05
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$\begingroup$ you should take it home and plant it in a semi submerged soil and see what grows from it. probably a small plant that flowers. $\endgroup$– bandybabboonMay 17, 2020 at 9:32
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1 Answer
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It is a penis worm!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priapulida
Priapulida (priapulid worms, from Gr. πριάπος, priāpos 'Priapus' + Lat. -ul-, diminutive), sometimes referred to as penis worms, is a phylum of unsegmented marine worms. The name of the phylum relates to the Greek god of fertility, because their general shape and their extensible spiny introvert (eversible proboscis) may recall the shape of a penis.
I am not positive, but you are close to the Gulf where these live, and maybe the weather swept some up from the bottom. If that is what it is, it would need a seagull to drop it or some kind of Fortean rain to get any distance from the beach.
