A mythical creature from Dune, the giant sand worm, called Shai-Hulud, has an absolutely gigantic size. If such a creature is science fiction, it still has a sacred equivalent in nature. Her name ? Lace green!
If you’ve seen Dune 2, one of the film’s standout scenes shows Paul Atreides riding a gigantic sandworm. This creature, well known to fans of Frank Herbert’s novel, has already been introduced in the previous episode in 2021.
In the 2nd part, the verses take a more important place. During this scene, the hero must prove himself against the Fremen people by hanging on the creature’s back for the first time. This is a rite of passage in Fremen tradition.
Here is the scene in question again…
In Dune mythology, these sandworms measure from a few hundred meters to several kilometers, and live only in the deserts of Arrakis. The Fremen call them Shai-Hulud, meaning “the old man of the desert”, “the old father eternity” or “the grandfather of the desert”. For them, worms are the lords of the desert and part of the spice cycle and the entire planet.
The spaghetti worm, the longest animal in the world
So obviously, worms of this size are pure science fiction fantasy. If we turn to prehistoric times, we discovered, in 2017, a species of giant marine wormbaptized Websteroprion armstrongi. Equipped with a jaw, this species could measure up to 2m, and lived 400 million years ago.
More contemporary with us, and perfectly alive to him, there is the lineus longissimus. The lace worm, nicknamed “spaghetti worm”. It is the longest animal in the world. What’s more, its venom is particularly toxic. This marine invertebrate, which only measures 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter, can easily exceed… 50 meters in length, appearing on the surface of the Earth 500 million years ago.
Hiding in sandy seabeds or rocks, this carnivorous creature hunts in wait. Its skin is covered in mucus with a very strong odor, which serves as both protection against its predators, but also as a weapon.
What does it look like ? To that !
An ultra powerful toxin
In 2018, Swedish scientists carried out experiments on a 10m long specimen, the results of which were published in the journal Scientific Reports. They discovered that the spaghetti worm’s mucus released a very powerful toxin when it approached an enemy or prey. The toxin is so powerful that the victim is struck down within minutes.
To consume its meal, the worm literally pulls out its digestive tract. The entire tube extends out of its body, and wraps itself around the prey. Enzymes then take over to liquefy the victim. With its deformable jaw, the worm only has to suck up its liquid lunch. Charming creature.