![]() ![]() But yes, it sports claws on its 13 to 43 pairs of stubby feet. What, a worm with claws? The velvet worm isn’t a worm at all. They belong to a group of animals that is more than 500 million years old called Onychophora, which means “claw bearers.” ![]() It shouldn’t be surprising that velvet worms have so much to teach us-they have been around for ages. Their discoveries could reveal new ways to deliver medicine to disease sites in the body. Researchers also are studying this Extreme Survivor’s “ squirt guns,” a pair of tiny nozzles on its head. This gorgeous blue velvet worm was photographed in New Zealand. Velvet worms come in all colors of the rainbow and range from one to eight inches long. Solving the velvet worm’s secrets could lead to the development of new kinds of recyclable plastic and other materials. More remarkable, these threads can be dissolved in water and formed again. ![]() Scientists recently discovered the amazing properties of velvet worm slime, which solidifies into strong threads when exposed to force. ![]() The more a spider or cricket struggles, the more the slime net hardens. Velvet worms shoot nets of “super slime” to snare their prey. ![]()
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