A bizarre worm that lives in sponges grows like a tree
Salon
4 hrs ago
Very Large Sponge Petrosia hoeksemai (Petrosiidae) Getty Images
Can you imagine a worm so weird that it has one head and multiple butts?
No, this is not a creature out of a science fiction movie or a surreal "SpongeBob Squarepants" episode. The
Ramisyllis multicaudata is an underwater worm that lives in the interior canals of sea sponges and is one of only two annelid species (a type of segmented worm like earthworms) to contain a body with branches that include one head and multiple posteriors — essentially growing like a tree. Thanks to a new study published in the Journal of Morphology, researchers have been able to learn a whole lot more about this very unusual creepy crawler.