User:GreenAlgae/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Glycera (annelid)

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I have seen a bloodworm chomp down onto a man's finger and I thought it a strange sight, so I wanted to learn more about them, but found the information covered on this Wikipedia page (and many other places on the internet) somewhat barebones.

Evaluate the article
This article on the Glycera genus (which I will refer to as bloodworms) is very simple and easy to read, making it quite accessible to a layman reader. In its opening text it physically describes bloodworms and gives examples as to where they are most common. In terms of sources, it is somewhat lacking, with no citation for the claims of maximum size. Interestingly, the listed maximum size for the species G. dibranchiata actually conflicts with the maximum size stated in the encyclopedia Britannica.

There is mention of the venom the species possesses, but little detail is given as to its activity or composition. I would recommend this section be expanded upon to include information on the surprisingly wide spectrum of venomous substances just one bloodworm contains in its venom glands, and the risks of secondary infection associated with a bite, most commonly experienced by those digging for the worms. Also in the realm of bloodworm bites, this article lacks mention of the rare, but possible, event of an anaphylactic reaction upon contact with a bloodworm.

As for the list of species in the genus, it is extensive, but unfortunately only one of the links has a page behind it. The other 83 links lead to empty entries. I realize it would be a major undertaking to fill out each and every link with information about its particular species, and perhaps there isn't even enough information published to accomplish this, so I am not holding this too heavily against the writer of this article.

Lastly there is a short one sentence segment on the human uses of bloodworms, in which it is stated that they are used as bait when fishing. This is true, but I believe this section should be modified (or a new section created entirely) to mention their other helpful attributes like bioturbation in which the presence of bloodworms in an environment improves the permeability of sediments. I would also like to see at least mention of the role these worms play in the ecology of local infauna (creatures that live in sediment) as the borrows of infaunal worms provide space for other organisms in their environment.