<I>Osedax</I> on Whale Bone (IMAGE)

Society for Experimental Biology

<I>Osedax</I> on Whale Bone

Caption

The pinkish "bone-devouring worms" shown here on a piece of whale bone, eat and inhabit dead whale skeletons and other bones on the sea floor. A recent study has shown they have a unique ability to release bone-melting acid.

Credit

MBARI

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