#alvinellidae

[polychaete-of-the-day]

Polychaete of the day is the Pompeii worm! These things are wild; they live by hydrothermal vents, where the tail end of the worm is in near-boiling water while the head is close to room temperature.

The white hairy bits on the photo are actually bacteria colonies that are symbionts with the worm! The worm eats the bacteria, and they help insulate against the heat. This photo is the worm outside of its tube, so if you find them in the ocean you usually won't see them like this

Photo by Olivier Dugornay

[polychaete-of-the-day]

Today's worm are these deep sea sulfide worms, Paralvinella sulfincola, living on hydrothermal vents.

Photo from NOAA