Zombie Wolves Found While Eating Whale Body

Now, thanks to the discovery of the strange species known as “bone worms” or “zombie worms”, scientists also had the opportunity to meet dozens of cousins ​​of these creatures.

The discovery made by researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in the USA was originally launched to study the bubbling methane gas in Monterey Canyon.

That’s when the researchers saw the bones of a giant whale corpse covered with living fibers. The creatures clung to the whale’s bone and spread out like a meadow.

Shana Goffredi, one of the researchers, describes the process as follows:

Everyone in the control room jumped to their feet. None of us knew what this was.

The structures in question turned out to be small seaworms, later named Osedax, meaning “bone-eating” in Latin. Scientists soon learned that these wolves had peculiar eating habits.

First of all, it was understood that these worms could not digest the bones by themselves, as they had no mouths and digestive systems. Instead, it had green roots that carved the bones. These roots contained bacteria that lived in harmony with worms. Subsequent analyzes revealed that the bacteria act to break down collagen in the bone and deliver nutrients to the worms.

It özgü also been found that thanks to the ability of wolves to process collagen in bones, it can greatly accelerate the decomposition process of carcasses.

“Osedax is a game changer when it comes to turning wet bones in nature into carbon,” says marine biologist Greg Rouse of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

In the nearly 20 years since the discovery, scientists have found 32 different types of Osedax. It was also found that boneworms have complex biological properties that go beyond their dietary habits.

For example, their sex depended on where the fertilized eggs were laid. If the egg settles on a bone, it turns into a female wolf responsible for carving the bone and feeding it. Male worms that took part in fertilization emerged from the egg that fell on a female bone worm.

According to the researchers, although bone worms were discovered in the early 21st century, their roots go way back. In a study conducted at the University of Plymouth in the UK, Osedax cavities were found on ancient reptile bones. This shows that zombie wolves existed 30 million years ago.

On the other hand, due to the unique biological properties of boneworms, some of their mysteries are still not understood. For example, it is not yet known why Osedax roots are green or how collagen gets into the roots.

In addition, the researchers state that the discovery of Osedax shows the importance of curiosity and open-ended exploration. The discovery of extraordinary organisms such as Osedax does not seem possible in the absence of sufficient financial support for open-ended discoveries.

Shannon Johnson, senior research technician from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, says:

It is very important to have this flexibility and to be able to discover something. We are in an age of mass extinction and we know superficially about what else is in the ocean.

Source: https://www.indyturk.com/

Zombie Wolves Found While Eating Whale Body