Scientists have discovered a new species of annelids in the Sulawesi Sea. The worm has long tentacles, as well as organs of touch, smell and many fins
A group of American oceanographers led by Karen Osborn from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (USA) discovered unusual annelids in the western Sulawesi Sea (an inter-island sea located in the western Pacific Ocean), according to the Jakarta Globe. The animal looked so unusual that scientists attributed it not only to a new species, but also to a new genus - Teuthidodrilus samae.
Teuthidodrilus samae lives at a depth of 2.8 km in the bottom water layers at a distance of 100-200 meters from the bottom. Its dimensions are quite small - the body reaches only 9.4 cm in length. However, on the worm's head there are ten tentacles of the same length or even longer than the body itself, and on the back of the head there are six paired organs of touch and smell. The animal moves vertically in the water column with the help of many fins, which are located on both sides along the body and resemble oars folded like dominoes. The movement is due to the fact that the fins hit each other. Scientists suggest that Teuthidodrilus samae is not a predator, but feeds on phytoplankton.
The researchers were able to detect the unique worm using an automatic submersible device. Working at this depth is problematic, Osborne said, since many devices bring severely damaged animals to the surface, and it is often very difficult to determine their systematic affiliation. This time the oceanologists were lucky.
This is not the first Osborne find in the Pacific Ocean. Most recently, her group found a new species of polychaete worms in several waters of the Pacific Ocean at once, which, fleeing pursuit, drop glowing bombs to confuse the predator.
A description of the new genus can be found in the article "The remarkable squidworm is an example of discoveries that await in deep-pelagic habitat", published in the latest issue of Biology Letters.
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