Arrow Worm Sagitta spp
Arrow Worm Sagitta spp

Arrow Worm (Sagitta spp.)

from $160.00
Quantity:

Live Arrow Worm (Sagitta spp.)
Please note this is a live marine specimen.

The Arrow Worm (Sagitta spp.) is a transparent, torpedo-shaped planktonic predator belonging to the phylum Chaetognatha. Common in Maine’s coastal shallows, these small yet efficient hunters are key components of marine food webs, preying on copepods and other zooplankton. Their clear bodies and grasping spines make them fascinating for studying planktonic feeding behaviors, locomotion, and marine ecology. Each specimen is carefully collected by dip net from Gulf of Maine waters, offering a rare opportunity to observe this elusive organism alive.

Key Facts:
Common name: Arrow worm
Scientific name: Sagitta spp.
Locations: Benthic, shallow water
Seasonality: Available all year
Color: Transparent
Size: 2 – 120 mm
Collected: By dip net
Quantity: Sold by the each
Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com.

Live Arrow Worm (Sagitta spp.)
Please note this is a live marine specimen.

The Arrow Worm (Sagitta spp.) is a transparent, torpedo-shaped planktonic predator belonging to the phylum Chaetognatha. Common in Maine’s coastal shallows, these small yet efficient hunters are key components of marine food webs, preying on copepods and other zooplankton. Their clear bodies and grasping spines make them fascinating for studying planktonic feeding behaviors, locomotion, and marine ecology. Each specimen is carefully collected by dip net from Gulf of Maine waters, offering a rare opportunity to observe this elusive organism alive.

Key Facts:
Common name: Arrow worm
Scientific name: Sagitta spp.
Locations: Benthic, shallow water
Seasonality: Available all year
Color: Transparent
Size: 2 – 120 mm
Collected: By dip net
Quantity: Sold by the each
Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com.

Tidepool Tim says, “Chaetognatha, arrow worms, include almost 200 species! About a fifth of them are benthic, living in relatively shallow water. Those are usually transparent. They look like arrows because they have two laterally paired fins to compliment their caudal fin. They got their name Chaeto-“gnatha” because of their protruding hooked jaws. They capture copepods and fish larvae with these jaws, rising to the surface at night to follow prey. They sink back down to the safety of the ocean floor during the day.”

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