Deep Sea Explorers Find 'Dazzling' Worm that Looks Like a 'Sassy Sparkler' Living on Ocean Floor
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/sparkly-deep-sea-worm-polychaete-110724-tout-mk-5ba5ed1fe5584539b5ee0d3f7e3bc5d3.jpg)
11/08/2024 04:40 AM
A robotic explorer filmed the deep-sea worm as part of Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition of the Chile Margin
Schmidt Ocean Institute/Instagram
A polychaete deep-sea worm filmed by the Schmidt Ocean InstituteDeep sea explorers want you to break out the "jazz hands" for this creature.
On Nov. 4, the Schmidt Ocean Institute posted a video of one of its recent finds on Instagram. The nonprofit is dedicated to advancing global marine research and is currently conducting the Chile Margin expedition.
The recent project has deep sea researchers using a 7,055-pound robotic explorer named ROV SuBastian to roam and document the ocean floor off the coast of Chile, where deep marine vents emit nutrients that feed an array of unusual creatures, according to Mashable.
Related: Zoo Celebrates Releasing Thousands of 'Giant Spiders' that Grow to Be the Size of a Human Hand
One of the critters the robotic explorer captured on camera was a polychaete, a type of deep-sea worm. In the clip of the creature the Schmidt Ocean Institute shared on social media, the polychaete looks like a glittery underwater eyebrow. The pale worm, covered in dark shimmering bristle-like protrusions, wiggles across the ocean floor in the video.
"To describe this polychaete, one simply must use jazz hands — it is the only way to capture this deep-sea worm's dazzle," the Schmidt Ocean Institute captioned the worm clip.
"Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia covered in bristles called chaetae. Some worms are bioluminescent, but this sassy sparkler has protein structures in the bristles that make them iridescent," the nonprofit explained.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute also used the post to share a bit more about the importance of the Chile Margin expedition.
Related: Zoo Asks for Help Identifying 'Mysterious Winged and Horned Creature' Spotted Near Park Habitat
"It runs the entire length of South America due to the subduction of the Pacific plate under the South American plate. The confluence of tectonic forces and terrestrial influences makes this margin a natural laboratory for investigating chemosynthetic and deep-sea environments that host animals like this [queue jazz hands] shimmering deep-sea worm," the organization added.
Schmidt Ocean Institute/Instagram
A polychaete one the ocean floor of the Chile MarginCommenters to the Schmidt Ocean Institute's post about the worm had fun with the underwater creature's unique look.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
"If these were lashes I would wear them every day of my life," wrote one commenter. "That's where my hairbrush went," added another.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute continues to share the Chile Margin expedition's findings on social media. Recent sightings include "mountains of worms" and "cannibalistic" squids.