Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
Deep-sea biologist Holly Vick says there are estimated to be millions of different species of nematodes, but biologists have so far described less than 5,000 species of marine life.
Hilary Bick pouring water over a sample to extract a nematode specimen for study.
Virginia Schutte
In our quest to discover new species around the world, Viku Her team has collected samples in a variety of destinations, including East Antarctica and the northern slopes of Alaska, Tybee Island, Georgia, and La Jolla, California.
Because worms are typically less than a millimeter long, Bik and her team use powerful microscopes to study them. This particular species, known as ceramonema, is commonly found in deep-sea underwater mountains.
The wavy plate-like pattern of this Ceramonema distinguishes it from other nematodes.
Jim Baldwin and Manuel Mundo-Ocampo
What sets these nematodes apart are the intricate, wave-like patterned plates that cover the entire body.
“There are so few scientists working on these species, and so much sand out there,” Bick said. We have hundreds of new breeds.”
This nematode – Xyala – is one of the most abundant species on sandy beaches worldwide.
The Xyala is characterized by rows of raised ridges across its body.
Jim Baldwin and Manuel Mundo-Ocampo
Its defining features include rows of raised ridges that surround its body, small circular sensory pores, and sensory “hairs” around its head.
Deep-sea habitats cover most of the Earth’s surface, but our current understanding of deep-sea nematode species is based on sampling from areas less than half the size of a tennis court, Bick said.
The presence of Odontophora nematodes is a sign of a clean, uncontaminated habitat, often inhabiting sandy beaches.
Odontophora worms have an opening at one end that resembles the ones in the “Alien” movies.
Jim Baldwin and Manuel Mundo-Ocampo
Scientists believe these worms use the spiraling, gel-filled pores on their bodies to sense bacterial metabolites in the environment and locate prey.
Such nematodes are found in the mud and sand of oceans worldwide, and are especially common in hypoxic submarine habitats.
Desmodoros nematodes are covered with small sensory hair-like organs that help them navigate their environment.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
This species is characterized by short bristles, or sensory hair-like organs, which cover most of its body.
In some cases, Bik’s team uses DNA sequencing to identify the nematode species.
The Enoploides nematode is a ferocious predator thanks to its three retractable Y-shaped jaws. Each jaw has large teeth.
Enoploides nematodes have three extendable jaws that they use to eat their prey.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
They like to eat algae called diatoms and small nematodes. The red cells in the photo are actually food particles that pass through the digestive tract.
Epsilonema nematodes boast a uniquely shaped body that resembles the number 3 or the letter E, and the ring that surrounds the body secretes a sticky mucus.
Epsilonema nematodes secrete mucus to lock themselves in sand and prevent them from being washed away by the tide.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
The rings around the worm’s body allow it to “walk” over grains of sand, Vik said, giving it a creeping, caterpillar-like motion.
It’s easy to see why the Eubostricus worm earned the nickname “Chewbacca.” Each of these hair-like structures is actually an individual bacterial cell attached to the nematode.
Eubostryx nematodes host bacterial cells that coat their bodies in a symbiotic relationship.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
These are known as: symbiotic bacteria Because it has a mutually beneficial relationship with the worm.
What surprised Viku and her colleagues most was that these microscopic nematodes are remarkably similar to the macroscopic worms found in soil and elsewhere on Earth. Like this gamma nematode, it tends to live on sandy bottoms.
Gamma nematodes have few defining characteristics, but they are vicious predators in the world of roundworms.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
They may resemble harmless earthworms, but these long, muscular microbes are actually voracious predators thanks to their V-shaped mouths lined with numerous tooth-like protrusions. .
Metoncholaimus nematodes are characterized by a wide oval mouth containing one large tooth and two smaller teeth of the same size.
Similar to Enoproides nematodes, these Metoncorymus nematodes have teeth that help them consume their prey.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
Bik said the predatory worms have recently been used in laboratories to test the toxicity of certain pesticides.
This paleeurustomyna has one fine tooth and rows of small serrated, tooth-like scales known as “teeth” that it uses to munch on marine microorganisms such as diatoms and dinoflagellates. There is a large mouth lined with
Palaeuristomyna nematodes have serrated scales that help them eat their prey.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
Called paleuristomyna, this predatory nematode is characterized by a thin, pointed tail.
Resourceful Theristus nematodes often emerge in the water through grains of sand and can actively swim toward new areas of sand where more food is available.
Theristus nematodes can actively swim and hunt prey.
Jim Baldwin and Manuel Mundo-Ocampo
Some species can also feed as parasites by attaching to the outside of larger polychaete worms, aka bristly worms.
Tricoma secretes a sticky mucus that sticks the sand to its body. This is both a camouflage defense mechanism against predators and a weight that prevents strong currents from washing them away.
Trichoma nematodes are characterized by triangular heads and bodies that look like circular rings.
Mirajana Marcelino Barros
This type of nematode is characterized by a triangular head and a circular “ring” that runs along the entire body.
Author
-
GC Journalist
As the in-house writer for GallantCEO.com I prefer to remain anonymous as I do not seek anything from my writing only the self gratification of writing for a good cause such as this.