shipworm

shipworm Tamilok is a famous Filipino delicacy, often found in the provinces Palawan and Aklan. It's also called woodworm, because it's, well, a worm-like thing that is extracted from wood. To harvest woodworms, people can head to swampy forests in these Filipino regions and hunt for them in dead tree trunks, logs, and branches. Though the woodworms don't kill the trees, they only inhabit dead wood. Once you crack 'er open, you may find the slug-like noodles laced through the decaying holes inside. It almost looks like gooey, puffed-up spaghetti is dripping out. Pass us a fork!

Though the harvesting process is objectively an unpleasant sight, at least the animals aren't writhing around — the tamilok dies as soon as it's exposed to air. Phew. Despite looking like worms, these things are actually mollusks that live in rotting mangroves along slightly salty water, where rivers meet the ocean. "Woodmollusks" just doesn't have the same ring to it, you know? Oh, another thing; Remember that viral video of the disgusting giant shipworm pouring out of that tube? Shipworms and tamiloks are in the same family. Yeah, we're talking about eating those things.