Humpback Whale
by Elaine Neftelberg
Researchers in Sweden have found several new species of bristleworms by researching what types of animals come to feast on the corpses of whales. Since a whale is such a huge organism, when it dies, it can provide an amazing amount of nutrients to marine life in the area of the corpse for the time that the corpse still carries these sources; wale goes fast, you know. Carnivorous fish eat the meat, and other animals, like the bristleworm, feast on the bones, where they can extract nutrients in various ways.
Nine new species of bristleworm have been found. They looks similar to other species, but have been studied, and found to be different on the molecular level. This makes them cryptic species; they are vastly different from their cousins, and inhabit certain areas of the world. This study helps us understand how vast the animal kingdom is and how different species can spread themselves around the world.
