February 1, 2015
When whales die, they fall to the bottom of sea, nourishing a wide variety of life: they’re the dark inverse of coral reefs. One of these species, Osedax, is a favorite of mine—it’s a treelike worm that settles on whale skeletons, and dissolves the bone to get at proteins and fats for nourishment. I wrote about them, how hagfish dissuade sharks, and the mystery of the missing males for the brilliant folk at Primer Stories, who created this gorgeous illustrated essay.
Zombie bone-eating harem-keeping worms
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