Deep sea biologist Holly Bik is on a mission to identify as many of the undiscovered hundreds of microscopic species that live in the sand as possible.
Nematodes, which are typically less than 1 millimeter long, are found all across the earth, from the sweltering deserts and tundras of the Arctic to the ocean trenches and volcanic soils.
Microscopic Species Back into Their Environments
They recycle nutrients back into their habitats as nature’s decomposers.
There are reportedly millions of different nematode species, but less than 5,000 marine species have been described by researchers thus far, according to deep sea expert Holly Bik.
Bik and her crew have gathered samples while searching for new species throughout the world in places as diverse as East Antarctica, the north slope of Alaska, Tybee Island, Georgia, and La Jolla, California.
Bik and her team utilize strong microscopes to study nematodes because their average length is less than 1 millimeter. In deep-sea undersea mountains, one particular species, the Ceramonema, is frequently observed.
These worms are distinguished by their intricate, wave-like plates that cover their entire body.
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Scientists Discover How Marine Nematodes Locate Prey
The spiral-shaped, gel-filled pores on these worms’ bodies are thought to be used by them to detect bacterial compounds in their surroundings and find prey.
Desmodorid nematodes, like this one, are widespread in marine mud and sand habitats and are particularly prevalent in low-oxygen seafloor settings.
They take pleasure in consuming smaller nematodes and a form of algae called diatoms.
Epsilonema nematodes have unusual bodies that resemble the numbers 3 or the letter E, and the rings around them leak gooey mucus.
It is believed that these worms use the spiral-shaped, gel-filled pores on their bodies to discover prey and detect bacterial chemicals in their environment.
Like this one, desmodorid nematodes are common in marine mud and sand ecosystems and are more common on low-oxygen seafloors.
They enjoy eating diatoms, which are a type of algae, and tiny nematodes.
Epsilonema nematodes are characterized by their peculiar bodies, which resemble the digits 3 or the letter E, and by the rings that surround them, which exude goopy mucus.
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