Hi all,
Diversions FYI. A couple of unusual annelid-related topics, and a video of an aggressive commensal polynoid.
1) Surveying leech blood is proposed as a new way of detecting rare tropical mammals. The journal Nature ran a news item on it - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/484424a
Schnell, Ida Bærholm; Thomsen, Philip Francis; Wilkinson, Nicholas; Rasmussen, Morten; Jensen, Lars R. D.; Willerslev, Eske; Bertelsen, Mads F.; Gilbert, M. Thomas P. 2012. Screening mammal biodiversity using DNA from leeches. Current Biology 22(8): R262-R263. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982212002096http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.058
2) Some startling "Bobbit worm" videos of ambush predator Eunice spp attacking small fish, etc, have been linked together by Chris Mah (a while ago now). They are very fast, and lethal. There seems to be a triggering size factor for prey as in one video a small syllid (?) crawls right over the mouth unharmed. http://echinoblog.blogspot.co.nz/2009/07/off-topic-giant-worm-friday-bobbit-worm.html
3) Polynoid commensal defends limpet in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=985EHlz4OAA (appears at about 1 min 20 secs in). Is this relationship recorded?
Geoff
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