Sweet Potato Shaped Spoon Worm Discovered in Japan

Posted on June 27, 2013

An oddly shaped new species of spoon worm has been discovered in Japan. The marine worm has a sweet potato-like trunk and a spoon shaped proboscis. The new species, Arhynchite hayaoi, was discovered on a sandy tidal flat named Hachi-no-higata of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. It has a body length of about 10 centimeters (3.93 inches).

The new spoon worm is described in a research paper published in Zookeys. The authors say the spoon worm is distinguishable from its congeners by the "smooth margin of gonostomal lips and lack of rectal caecum."

OCEANS