<div>As a scientist interested in deep-sea ecology and polychaetes in particular, I found this to be one of the most interesting discoveries in quite some time. I had a chance to see some of Karen's examples during a short visit to Scripps last year, but had no idea that so many new taxa (7) had been discovered by her team. Given the relatively small geographic area sampled, this suggests that many more species are awaiting discovery. </div>
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<div>The second video shows numerous specimens swimming near the seafloor which raises questions regarding their mode of life. Although there is no evidence that they are predatory, I wonder if they might be feeding on epi-benthic organisms such as cumaceans and mysids that swim just above the sediment-water interface. </div>
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<div>The Acrocirridae are proving to be much more diverse than previously believed. In our studies of deep-sea benthos, I have identified something like 15 distinct species of <em>Flabelligella sensu lato </em>(with 0, 1, 2, ?3 pairs of branchiae) from around North America, ca. 2/3 are undescribed. </div>
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<div>It is interesting that that Karen's new pelagic taxa do not have the compound setae that characterize their benthic counterparts. </div>
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<div>Congratulations to the authors, I look forward to seeing more results.</div>
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<div>Jim Blake<br><br> </div>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 8/22/09, <b class="gmail_sendername">Geoff Read</b> <<a href="mailto:g.read@niwa.co.nz">g.read@niwa.co.nz</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">FYI<br><br>Osborn KJ, Haddock SHD, Pleijel F, Madin LP, Rouse GW 2009. Deep-Sea, Swimming Worms with Luminescent "Bombs". Science 325: 964 (and online 'supplement').<br>
<br><a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/citmgr?gca=sci;325/5943/964">http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/citmgr?gca=sci;325/5943/964</a><br><br>Swima bombiviridis named (new genus, new species of acrocirrid)<br><br>Abstract: "By using remotely operated vehicles, we found seven previously unknown species of swimming annelid worms below 1800 meters. Specimens were large and bore a variety of elaborate head appendages. In addition, five species have pairs of ellipsoidal organs homologous to branchiae that produce brilliant green bioluminescence when autotomized. Five genes were used to determine the evolutionary relationships of these worms within Cirratuliformia. These species form a clade within Acrocirridae and were not closely related to either of the two known pelagic cirratuliforms. Thus, this clade represents a third invasion of the pelagic realm from Cirratuliformia. This finding emphasizes the wealth of discoveries to be made in pelagic and deep demersal habitats."<br>
<br><br>Nice discovery. I want to know what they feed on, and how.<br><br>Geoff<br><br><br>--<br><br>Geoff Read <<a href="mailto:g.read@niwa.co.nz">g.read@niwa.co.nz</a>><br><a href="http://www.annelida.net/">http://www.annelida.net/</a><br>
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Resources: <a href="http://www.annelida.net">http://www.annelida.net</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>James A. Blake, Ph.D.<br>Marine & Coastal Center<br>AECOM Environment, NE Region<br>89 Water Street<br>
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