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New Species of Worms Found To Release "Bombs"

Posted by kdawson on from the take-that-and-that dept.

caffiend666 writes "A newly found deep ocean worm 'can cast off green glowing body parts, a move scientists think may be a defensive effort to confuse attackers. Researchers have dubbed the newly discovered critters "green bombers." ... The first of the new species has been given the scientific name Swima bombiviridis. ... [T]he worms are able to regenerate the body parts.' So, it's a naturally occurring animal that rips off its arms and throws them, and we're not talking about a game from ID Software?"

4 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. worms with arms? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    isn't that the real story here?

  2. Odd Evolutionary Links? by sonnejw0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What seems most interesting about this discovery is any possible evolutionary links. The common yard lizard in the southern USA (Florida, Texas, 'Bama, Georgia) loses its tail when attacked. Some starfish will break off a limb as a decoy. Many other examples across the phyla, kingdoms and classes.

    Has the ability to lose a limb and regenerate evolved multiple times? Is this an evolutionarily ancient and common ability that humans have lost? Or these species linked on some crooked branch and our tree description is just totally screwed up?

    I think those are the real questions this article raises.

    1. Re:Odd Evolutionary Links? by Nadaka · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I believe there is a tribe in africa that harvests a strip of fat/meat from a anesthetized cow and stitches it back together. I learned this through non-internet related sources, so I can't be arsed to hunt down a reference.

  3. Re:Neat, but don't sea cucumbers do something simi by zerobytes · · Score: 2, Interesting

    so they can flee...

    Have you ever seen a fleeing sea cucumber? That must be SOME organ that they jetison if it keeps a predator busy for that long...