Peinaleopolynoe
| Peinaleopolynoe | |
|---|---|
_Figure_7_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Peinaleopolynoe mineoi | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Subclass: | Errantia |
| Order: | Phyllodocida |
| Family: | Polynoidae |
| Genus: | Peinaleopolynoe Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988 |
| Type species | |
| Peinaleopolynoe sillardi Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988 | |
Peinaleopolynoe, also known as hungry scale worms and Elvis worms, is a genus of bristle worm belonging to the family Polynoidae (scale worms). There are six known species, four of which were described in 2020. Members of this genus generally live in nutrient-rich environments in the deep sea, such as at whale falls.[1][2]
Etymology
The name Peinaleopolynoe comes from the Greek word peinaleos (πειναλεoσ), meaning "hungry" or "famished", in reference to the attraction of the worms to food fall.[1]
Description
Peinaleoppolynoe species are short-segmented scale worms with 21 segments. They are covered in large, overlapping, kidney-shaped plates (elytra). The bristles (chaetae) on both sides can be seen from above, as they are not covered by the plates. They do not have any eyes.[1]
Species
The genus contains 6 recognized species:[3]
- Peinaleoppolynoe sillardi Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988
- Peinaleoppolynoe santacatalina Pettibone, 1993
- Peinaleoppolynoe orphanae Hatch & Rouse, 2020
- Peinaleoppolynoe elvisi Hatch & Rouse, 2020
- Peinaleoppolynoe goffrediae Hatch & Rouse, 2020
- Peinaleoppolynoe mineoi Hatch & Rouse, 2020
_Figure_7_(cropped).jpg)
Habitat
Peinaleoppolynoe species live in the deep ocean at depths between 850 to 4000 meters below the surface. They are found in nutrient-rich places such as hydrothermal vents, methane seeps, and whale falls.[1][4][5] They have been collected from a range of sites in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.[6]
Behavior
An unusual behavior observed in Peinaleopolynoe is aggressive fighting. Observations show that individual worms sometimes bite chunks off each other’s scales.[5][7][8] The fights can last several minutes, with both worms attacking and biting back and forth.[4][7] This behavior explains why many specimens have damaged or chipped scales. Scientists do not yet know why the worms fight, but this most likely relates to competition or territorial disputes.[4]
Peinaleopolynoe species are thought to use their jaws to scrape bacteria off rocks and decaying organic matter.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Hatch, Avery S.; Liew, Haebin; Hourdez, Stéphane; Rouse, Greg W. (2020-12-05). "Hungry scale worms: Phylogenetics of Peinaleopolynoe (Polynoidae, Annelida), with four new species". ZooKeys (932): 27–74. doi:10.3897/zookeys.932.48532. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 7237507. PMID 32476973.
- ↑ Desbruyères, D; Laubier, L (1988). "Exploitation d'une source de matière organique concentrée dans l'océan profond: intervention d'une annélide polychète nouvelle". Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences. 307: 329–336.
- ↑ Read, Geoffrey B.; Fauchald, Kristian (2020). "The World Polychaeta Database".
- 1 2 3 Martin, Chase (2020-05-20). "Hungry Hungry Scale Worms: Scientists Discover Four New Species of Deep-Sea Dwellers | Scripps Institution of Oceanography". scripps.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- 1 2 3 Scales, Helen (2022-09-07). "Discovered in the deep: the 'Elvis worms' that sparkle in the darkness". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- ↑ "Scientists discover four new species of deep-sea scale worms | NSF - National Science Foundation". www.nsf.gov. 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- 1 2 McGreevy, Nora. "These 'Elvis Worms' Shimmer and Sparkle—and Fight Rough". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- ↑ "Scientists name four new Elvis worm species - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
External links