Aehallh worm

The Aehallh worm was an animal lifeform primarily found on Nimbus III, a desert world in the galaxy's Beta Quadrant. The Aehallh was a worm species. 

Name
In the Romulan language, aehallh' could refer to a monster or ghost. 

Biology and environment
Aehallh worms shared their body plan with with fumarole worms, including their behavior, size and abilities. Like them, they roamed underground and only pushed a part of their body aboveground. When defeated, they retreated into the ground and their hole collapsed back to even ground. Unlike the solitary fumarole worms, Aehallh worms usually emerged together in groups. 

The tubular body was propelled by digit-like attachments to the ventral armor plating. The back was covered in dark-brown colored armor, the ventral plates were shaded light brown. The head lacked noticeable eyes, and was dominated by a three-pronged maw, from which the worm could spit venom.

When emerging from underground, the Aehallh worm towered over average-sized humanoids, which it would slam with its upper body, or cover with venom.

The Aehallh appeared in three developmental stages: the Aehallh worm, Aehallh crawler, and the building-sized Aehallh elder. 

History
In 2409, dozens of Aehallh worm collectives lived in the desert of Nimbus III between Paradise City, the crashed ship, the Gorn Canyon, and Installation 18. The Aehallh worms and Dewan arthropods kept away from one another. In the immediate vicinity of Paradise City, the worms and sand scorpions occupied opposite areas outside the settlement. 

The Nimbosian worms attacked nearby visitors. The Aehallh Queen was an Aehallh elder residing underneath the. The ruins' ground itself and the surrounding dunes were filled with worms. 

During the transit from Gorn Canyon to Installation 18, the desert was littered with Aehallh worms. 

When Colonel Hakeev of the Tal Shiar subjected prisoners to fights in the arena on Nopada Prime at the behest of his Iconian masters, Aehallh worms were among the animal opponents. During the final fight in the arena, prisoner Slamek and his fighting companion faced an Aehallh elder but defeated it by co-opting the arena's plasma turrets. The downed elder remained on the arena grounds, rather than retreating underground. A plant grew in the arena that countered the effects of the worms' toxic spit.

During the night of their escape, Slamek and his companion came across Aehallh worms in the desert, and defended themselves against them. 

When the Alpha Quadrant Alliance vied with the Voth for control of the Solanae Dyson Sphere, they occasionally came across Aehallh worms in the parklands of the spires.