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AlconBlue — Scale worm
Published: 2012-12-29 22:40:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 3776; Favourites: 22; Downloads: 11
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Description
The underside of a marine worm from the family Polynoidae, also known as the Antarctic scale worm. This was one of a number of deep sea specimens bought back from the Antarctic as part of a biodiversity study. They crawl along the bottom on those fine golden spines which are about as stiff as tooth brush bristles and connect to the ends of their many legs.Related content
Comments: 19
Yeah, they're pretty cool all right. They really just don't look like any other animal, like aliens almost.
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Yeah, it's probably going to be a while before we ever see a pixar movie about scale worms. Those golden bristles are neat though.
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It kind of reminds of the things from Dune only with fur.
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haha, yeah, good old sand worms. You'd hardly believe that these things are actually really closely related to earthworms. Earthworms actually have tiny bristles all down the sides of their body too. You ever wonder how it is that they somehow 'stick' themselves in the ground when birds are trying to pull them out and you can tell that the worm is somehow clinging to its tunnel? Its because they stick their spines out into the dirt around them to lock them in place.
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This worm lives in the Antarctic, but I've had a similar species here in New Zealand (which don't look anywhere near as cool, their bristles are short and black) snap at my finger when I picked it up by its back end. It never got me, but I do wonder what their bite is like. Preferably I could find out from someone else.
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Probably like being pinched by massive set of nutcrackers.
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I'm only liking this for the gold spikes.. that mouth gives me the heebie jeebies. ; > But it is a cool find and neat shot. Thanks for the fav!
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Any time. Yeah I think they're cool. I used to work at NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research) and I got to see all sorts of cool things come back from various deep sea research trips. I'm just about to put up a bunch of other photos I took of other interesting deep sea beasties.
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What a fascinating job! I'll "watch" and take a look at your new stuff.
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Yeah, it was a great job. Thanks for the add by the way.
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Haha, I'm not surprised, most people haven't. They live on the sea-floor in Antarctica and when the nature documentary people go to Antarctica, it's usually for the penguins (I guess they just don't think worms are very interesting, but I've seen some amazing ones).
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That's a very frightening looking worm. Very impressive as to how it's adapted and how it looks, but if I saw it I think I'd swim the other way.
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Haha, yeah, they are definitely a bit different.
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