A robotic explorer filmed the deep-sea worm as a part of Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition of the Chile Margin
Schmidt Ocean Institute/Instagram
A polychaete deep-sea worm filmed by the Schmidt Ocean Institute
Deep sea explorers need you to interrupt out the “jazz hands” for this creature.
On Nov. 4, the Schmidt Ocean Institute posted a video of one of its recent finds on Instagram. The nonprofit is devoted to advancing international marine analysis and is at present conducting the Chile Margin expedition.
The latest mission has deep sea researchers utilizing a 7,055-pound robotic explorer named ROV SuBastian to roam and doc the ocean ground off the coast of Chile, the place deep marine vents emit vitamins that feed an array of surprising creatures, according to Mashable.
Related: Zoo Celebrates Releasing Thousands of ‘Giant Spiders’ that Grow to Be the Size of a Human Hand
One of the critters the robotic explorer captured on digital camera was a polychaete, a sort of deep-sea worm. In the clip of the creature the Schmidt Ocean Institute shared on social media, the polychaete seems to be like a glittery underwater eyebrow. The pale worm, lined in darkish shimmering bristle-like protrusions, wiggles throughout the ocean ground within the video.
“To describe this polychaete, one simply must use jazz hands — it is the only way to capture this deep-sea worm’s dazzle,” the Schmidt Ocean Institute captioned the worm clip.
“Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia covered in bristles called chaetae. Some worms are bioluminescent, but this sassy sparkler has protein structures in the bristles that make them iridescent,” the nonprofit defined.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute additionally used the submit to share a bit extra in regards to the significance of the Chile Margin expedition.
Related: Zoo Asks for Help Identifying ‘Mysterious Winged and Horned Creature’ Spotted Near Park Habitat
“It runs the entire length of South America due to the subduction of the Pacific plate under the South American plate. The confluence of tectonic forces and terrestrial influences makes this margin a natural laboratory for investigating chemosynthetic and deep-sea environments that host animals like this [queue jazz hands] shimmering deep-sea worm,” the group added.
Schmidt Ocean Institute/Instagram
A polychaete one the ocean ground of the Chile Margin
Commenters to the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s submit in regards to the worm had enjoyable with the underwater creature’s distinctive look.
Never miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to remain up-to-date on one of the best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from celeb information to driving human curiosity tales.
“If these were lashes I would wear them every day of my life,” wrote one commenter. “That’s where my hairbrush went,” added one other.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute continues to share the Chile Margin expedition’s findings on social media. Recent sightings embody “mountains of worms” and “cannibalistic” squids.
