In the remote rainforests of Southeast Asia, a strange creature crawls on the ground and catches the attention of both biologists and nature lovers: Gorgonorhynchus repens, a type of ribbon worm.
Images of its feeding behavior have since gone viral.
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Meet the ‘Alien Worm’
Due to its unique appearance and fascinating behavior, this enigmatic worm has become the focus of scientific curiosity and research.
There has been a video circulating online for quite some time now showing a bizarre worm slinging a milky substance onto a man’s hand.
Millions of people have watched the video already. What follows went viral on Twitter.
Often referred to as living fossils, these creatures serve as a link between arthropods (insects, spiders, and crustaceans) and ribbon worms (segmented worms).
Fascinating Feeding Behavior Goes Viral
The most fascinating aspect of the Gorgonorhynchus repens is certainly its feeding behavior.
Using special mouth appendages called oral papillae, the Gorgonorhynchus repens slings a sticky secretion towards its prey, capturing insects and other small invertebrates.
Once the prey is caught, the worm approaches its immobile victim and injects digestive enzymes to liquify the internal tissues for easy consumption.
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The Gorgonorhynchus occur in Bermuda, and a related genus, Dendrorhynchus, has been observed in China.
They are rare. Even in Bermuda, where the marine environment has been extensively studied by scientists, these worms have only been discovered a handful of times.
Experts are uncertain about the actual age of the worms. Because they are soft-bodied and lack bones, they leave virtually no traces in the fossil record.
“This is highly problematic if you want to know how young or old these animals are,” Mental Floss quoted an expert.
Not the Only Fascinating Worm
This particular species may be rare, but ribbon worms are not; they can be found almost everywhere in the world.
One of them is particularly remarkable: the “Longest Ribbon Worm” (Lineus longissimus) can grow over 30 meters long.
“Many people think that the blue whale is the largest animal in the world,” says Kvist. “In reality, the nemertine is the longest animal in the world.”
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A truly fascinating creature that seems to come from another world.
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