It was first described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 as Aphrodita squamata but was later transferred to the genus Lepidonotus.

This worm has 26 segments and grows to a length of about 5 cm (2 in); it is some shade of grey, drab brown or yellow, often being covered with mud.

[2] Scale worms play a role on the seabed similar to that of isopods (pill bugs or woodlice) on land.

They are carnivorous, feeding on crabs, starfish, gastropod molluscs and any other small invertebrate they come across.

[4] The scales of Lepidonotus squamatus emit a faint bioluminescent glow.