Worm Species Not to Be Sneezed At
Posted on: Wednesday, 19 October 2005, 12:00 CDT
A NEW species of tentacled worm with an unflattering name has been found at the bottom of the North Sea.
Scientists from the National History Museum in London and Goteborg University in Sweden discovered a large colony of the creatures growing on the bones of a minke whale.
They named the species Osedax mucofloris, which literally means "bone-eating snot-flower".
The worm is between one and two centimetres long, and has frond- like tentacles that give it the appearance of a flower.
The most remarkable aspect of the discovery is that the creature was found in relatively shallow water, about 120 metres deep . Marine biologist Dr Adrian Glover, from the National History Museum, said: "We were astounded to discover a species completely new to science in an environment that is so well known."
Future studies will look at how the species reproduces
Source: Liverpool Echo
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