Elvis worms
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
_Figure_7_(cropped).jpg)
Elvis worms, also called hungry scale worms, are deep-sea worms from the genus Peinaleopolynoe.[1][2] There are six known species: Peinaleopolynoe goffrediae, P. mineoi, P. orphanae, P. elvisi, P. santacatalina, and P. sillardi.[3] Four of these species were discovered in 2020.[1][3] They are members of the Polynoidae (scale worms) family that tend to be found in nutrient-rich areas of the deep sea.[1][3] Their shiny exoskeleton, which has been compared to the glittering jumpsuits worn by Elvis Presley, gives them the name “Elvis worms".[1][2]
_Figure_7.jpg)
The first known species of Peinaleopolynoe, P. sillardi, was discovered in 1988 in Atlantic Ocean.[3] A second species, P. santacatalina, was discovered in 1993 in the East Pacific Ocean.[3] In 2020, scientists discovered four more species: P. elvisi, P. goffrediae, P. mineoi, and P. orphanae. All four species were found in deep-sea habitats of the Pacific Ocean.[3] These names honor different people: P. elvisi for the singer Elvis Presley, P. goffrediae for marine biologist Shana Goffredi, P. mineoi for science supporter Jeff Mineo, and P. orphanae for geobiologist Victoria Orphan.[1]
Habitat
Elvis worms live in the deep ocean, spotted in the abyssal zone several thousand feet below the surface. They are found in nutrient-rich places such as hydrothermal vents, methane seeps, whale falls, and volcanic seamounts.[1][3][4] They have been collected from a range of sites, including Monterey Canyon, the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Gulf of California.[5] Despite the cold, dark, low oxygen and high-pressure conditions of these environments, Elvis worms are found on the floors of both the Atlantic and East Pacific oceans.[3][5]
