SCI/TECH: New Species Of Marine "Zombie" Worm Discovered, page 1

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 10:32 AM

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A new species of marine worm has been discovered in the North Sea off Sweden's coast. The UK-Swedish team of scientists that discovered the worms have named it Osedax mucofloris, which literally means, "bone-eating snot-flower". The worms were found growing on a dead minke whale carcass. The worms "roots" are embedded in the whales bones. "The part of the animal that is exposed to the seawater is covered in a ball of mucus, so they are quite snotty. That is probably a defence mechanism." according to the discovering scientists.

news.bbc.co.uk
A new species of marine worm that lives off whale bones on the sea floor has been described by scientists.

The creature was found on a minke carcass in relatively shallow water close to Tjarno Marine Laboratory on the Swedish coast.

Such "zombie worms", as they are often called, are known from the deep waters of the Pacific but their presence in the North Sea is a major surprise.

A UK-Swedish team reports the find in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Adrian Glover and Thomas Dahlgren tell the journal the new species has been named Osedax mucofloris, which literally means "bone-eating snot-flower".

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I love these types of news stories. This worm has to have the best scientific name ever

"bone-eating snot-flower", it sounds like something from a bad sci-fi movie.

It gets better though, this North Sea version differs from the already known to science Pacific Ocean species:

"The female Pacific worms keep males inside their tube as a sort of little harem that fertilises eggs as they are released into the water column," explained Dr Glover.

Could this thing get any wierder?

Yep:

"We're not sure what's happening with the reproductive biology of the Swedish worms yet. We've only got females; we haven't found any males. It's a bit weird."

I guess it takes all kinds of critters to make the World what it is today.

[edit on 19/10/05 by subz]

sardion2000

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 10:39 AM

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Sounds like a low-budget Dr. Who nemisis

They did have the Snot Monster after all heh

Gazrok

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 10:45 AM

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You just know the common parlor for these things will be "snotworms"...

copyright, Gazrok, 2005.

Mayet

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 11:37 AM

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Originally posted by subz

"The female Pacific worms keep males inside their tube as a sort of little harem that fertilises eggs as they are released into the water column," explained Dr Glover.

Yep:

You Go Girl !!!!

What a wonderful critter ..and lovely name....not.... or snot ..yewk

boogerworm

[edit on 19-10-2005 by Mayet]

Raideur

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 01:34 PM

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We've found weirder in deeper places, of course, what is their role in the ecological community?

grover

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 05:08 PM

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Isn't bush a zombie worm too?

Raideur

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 06:01 PM

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#1 Isnt that for PTS?

#2 I wonder if these will be found elsewhere?

Kushi

posted on Oct, 19 2005 @ 07:35 PM

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Originally posted by Gazrok
You just know the common parlor for these things will be "snotworms"...

copyright, Gazrok, 2005.

Can moderators edit mod posts? if so can some one take off that copyright?

ha... just kidding. Wouldn't want to be banned. But thats gross.... Is it mucus, or a mucus like substance. Actualy mucus seems a little extreme, even for worms.