Divers encounter giant worm-like 'creature'

Posted on Tuesday, 13 November, 2018 | Comment icon

Two divers came across something extraordinary during a recent excursion off the coast of New Zealand.

Resembling a long hollow windsock, this perplexing sea creature is actually not one, but hundreds of thousands of individual organisms that thrive together as a colony.

Known as pyrosomes, they can be found throughout the Pacific but rarely appear this large.

"Having never seen one in person or even footage or photos of one before, I was quite incredulous and elated that such a creature existed," said diver Andrew Buttle.

"It was very puzzling but also fantastic to be able to view it right up close and spend so much time with it. I believe it is possibly a pyrosome - occasionally they are caught in nets but not many intact large specimens have been caught to my knowledge."

"At times there can be blooms of thousands of small versions of these creatures in many parts of the world, but not something I had ever seen before."

Source: New Zealand Herald | Comments (8)

Tags: pyrosome

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Recent comments on this story

#1 Posted by Not A Rockstar on 13 November, 2018, 13:31

That is the largest one I have seen!

#2 Posted by freetoroam on 13 November, 2018, 13:36

I have seen these before, but not in person unfortunately. The seas truly have some wonderful life forms. Pyrosomes, also known as the unicorn of the seas.

#3 Posted by MissJatti on 13 November, 2018, 14:25

I have seen these on 1 or 2 of these on David Attenborough shows

#4 Posted by third_eye on 13 November, 2018, 14:39

Enjoy ...

#5 Posted by Carnoferox on 13 November, 2018, 14:47

A nice example of Pyrostremma spinosum, the giant pyrosome.

#6 Posted by Seti42 on 13 November, 2018, 22:15

Wake up, sheeple! That's clearly the shed skin from one of Great Cthulhu's facial tentacles. Fhtagn...

#7 Posted by Jon the frog on 14 November, 2018, 2:22

WOW, that's a giant !

#8 Posted by TrikeTrash on 15 November, 2018, 20:01

Considering the "worm like creature" is living in it's own environment. Shouldn't the headline read, "Bob discovers strange fish that swims poorly and blows bubbles."

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