Lineus longissimus

The bootlace worm is in the phylum Nemertea or ribbon worms. It is the most common nemertean found along the coasts of Britain.{{Cite web |title=Discovery Zone - Bootlace Worm |url=https://www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk/research/discovery-zone/bootlace-worm/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk}}

Bootlace worms may grow very long but are usually only {{convert|5|to|10|mm|in}} in width. The body is brown with lighter (longitudinal) stripes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2075|title=MarLIN – The Marine Life Information Network – Bootlace worm (Lineus longissimus)|website=www.marlin.ac.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-30}} Its mucus contains a relatively strong neurotoxin which it uses as a defense against predators.{{Cite web |title=Bootlace Worm: Earth’s Longest Animal Produces Powerful Toxin |url=https://www.sci.news/biology/bootlace-worm-toxin-05852.html#:~:text=The%20bootlace%20worm%20(Lineus%20longissimus,of%20Swedish%20scientists%20has%20discovered. |website=Sci.News}} When handled, it produces large amounts of thick mucus with a faint pungent smell, reminiscent of iron or sewage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/toxins-bootlace-worm-can-kill-cockroaches|title=Toxins from the world's longest animal can kill cockroaches|last=Milius|first=Susan|date=2018-03-30|work=Science News|access-date=2018-03-30|language=en}} This toxic mucus has been shown to kill crabs and cockroaches, and could have applications as an agricultural insecticide.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180326140226.htm|title=Insect toxin detected in the world's longest animal|work=ScienceDaily|access-date=2018-03-30|language=en}}

In 1864, William M'Intosh described a specimen that had washed ashore in the aftermath of a severe storm by St Andrews, Scotland, which was more than {{convert|55|m|ft|abbr=on}} long,Gerald L. Wood Animal Facts and Feats: A Guinness Record of the Animal Kingdom, pg 334. longer than the longest known lion's mane jellyfish, the animal which is often considered to be the longest in the world. However, records of extreme length should be taken with caution, because the bodies of nemerteans are flexible and can easily stretch to much more than their usual length.{{Cite web |last=Laidlaw |first=Shawn |date=2020-11-23 |title=Ribbon Worm - Facts and Beyond |url=https://biologydictionary.net/ribbon-worm/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Biology Dictionary |language=en-US}}

Like other nemerteans, Lineus longissimus feeds using its eversible proboscis. As it is in the class Anopla, its proboscis is not armed with a barbed stylet. Instead, it has a cluster of sticky filaments at the end of its proboscis that it uses to immobilize prey.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Lineus longissimus can be found on Norway's and Britain's coasts, on the Danish east coast and also on Sweden's west coast. {{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Wikispecies}}

• {{EOL|586802}}
• {{NCBI taxid|88925}}
• {{ITIS|ID=204277}}
• [http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/species/id/c6c0d981c4aa8c31995877f136b12656 Lineus longissimus (Gunnerus, 1770) (accepted name)] Catalogue of Life: 30 April 2017

{{Taxonbar|from=Q134358}}

Category:Marine fauna of Europe

Category:Lineidae

Category:Animals described in 1770

Category:Taxa named by Johan Ernst Gunnerus