Discovered 4 species of marine worms with metallic scales

Deep-sea creatures discovered by submarines and remote-controlled diving equipment from the University of California San Diego, USA (UCSD).

The team found four new worms at a depth of more than 900 meters above sea level, beneath the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the East Pacific, including the Monterey Canyon, the Gulf of California and Costa Rica, according to a study. published in ZooKeys magazine .

All four species have iridescent scales and belong to the genus Peinaleopolynoe. This term constitutes the first part of their name, namely P. orphanae, P. mineoi, P. elvisi and P. goffrediae . While P. orphanae is found in a hydrothermal vents, the remaining three species are found around the bodies of whales that sink to the ocean floor.

Four new species of sea worms belong to the genus Peinaleopolynoe. (Photo: UCSD).

The adventurers even recorded a fight scene between two P. orphanae with SuBastian diving equipment. This video explains why many of their scales are seriously damaged. During the fighting, the animals actually bit each other's scales, according to lead researcher Avery Hatch, a graduate student at the Scripps Research Institute at UCSD.

"The ocean still has many mysteries waiting for us to discover. More than a million undescribed species can survive under vast sea habitats , " Hatch emphasized. 

Peinaleopolynoe has evolved to adapt to harsh living conditions where there is no light, cold water and high pressure. Their existence forms an essential link in the ocean food chain. This group of sea worms is the prey of squid, turtles and many important commercial fish such as tuna and salmon.