Scientists are planning to conduct what would be the first study in UK deep waters of creatures known as "zombie worms" that eat bones of dead whales.
The research would involve sinking a whale carcass, potentially at a location off the coast of Scotland.
Similar work has been done in Sweden, Japan and off California in the US.
The worms from the Osedax genus were only discovered in 2004.
New discoveries of the creatures are still being made. Scientists are also trying to better understand how the worms find dead whales.
The worms do not have a mouth or gut and use root-like tissue to bore into and eat bones.
http://www.bbc.co.uk...slands-19517079
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Deep sea 'zombie worms' whale study
Started by
Still Waters
, Sep 09 2012 01:01 PM
osedax genus whales zombie worms
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#1
Still Waters
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Deeply Mysterious
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Que Sera, Sera - Whatever will be, will be..
Posted 09 September 2012 - 01:01 PM
#2
Hasina
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Maximillion Hotpocket Puckershuttle
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JINKIES
Posted 09 September 2012 - 03:41 PM
Freakin' awesome. I love the peculiar animals, the strangest ones, it'll be interesting to know more about them. Especially how they find those dead whales. Personally I'd flee from a dead whale.
~MEH~
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