species unique to the Island.

Worm specialists Dr. Kathy Coates and Dr. Brenda Healy recently spent time in Bermuda with spade in hand unearthing worms no bigger than the length of a fingernail.

But the results overwhelmed the two Dublin University scientists -- surpassing their wildest dreams.

Until they arrived just nine species of worms had been documented in Bermuda, but three weeks into their visit the pair added another 20 to the list -- 15 of which have never been recorded before.

At that point they stopped digging.

"It was too overwhelming. We had to study the 15 we found,'' said Dr. Coates.

"I was surprised to find such a high level of diversity and uniqueness in Bermuda's marine worms. It was completely unexpected.'' The worms discovered by the two scientists live in sand or mud, algae growing on rocks or in debris, near the ocean and are related to earthworms.

They move either by wriggling through sand grains or devouring them as they go -- like earthworms.

Dr. Coates and Dr. Healy are now researching the worms' characteristics which allowed them to become unique to Bermuda.

Also because worms play a unique role in the breakdown of plant matter, research can help scientists better understand the make-up of habitats.

Dr. Coates added: "Worms do get around. They can live in glaciers, peat bogs, lakes, caves and the depths of the ocean.

"They don't look like much to the naked eye, but they can tell us a lot about the environment and evolution.''