The organism was found at depths between 2,700 and 7,200 feet in the Midnight Zone, a region where no sunlight penetrates.
The translucent, pink organism, roughly the size of a hazelnut, exhibited an unusual structure that made it difficult to classify immediately. Upon closer examination, scientists noted that it resembled certain polychaete worms, also known as bristle worms. However, it displayed key differences from known species.
Karen Osborn, now a marine biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, was interning at MBARI at the time and recalls the challenges of identifying the specimen. While it shared some characteristics with bristle worms, its anatomy differed significantly. Instead of the usual segmented structure of polychaete larvae, this organism appeared to have only a few inflated central segments, with the remaining ones compressed at one end.
Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed that the organism is indeed a type of bristle worm, though scientists are still uncertain whether it represents a larval stage or an adult exhibiting neoteny—where an organism retains juvenile traits throughout its life.
Further observations revealed that the worm often attaches itself to a mucus-like cloud, likely used to trap food particles such as marine snow and fecal matter. Additionally, the species displays bioluminescence, a common trait among deep-sea organisms.
Despite these findings, many aspects of the worm’s biology and life cycle remain unknown. Scientists continue to study deep-sea environments, where the discovery of new species highlights the vast, unexplored diversity of marine life.
