Osedax mucofloris Glover, Kallstrom, Smith & Dahlgren 2005

Osedax worms are marine polychaete annelid worms They belong to the family Siboglinidae, closely related to deep sea vent/seep-associated vestimentiferan worms. They share a recent common ancestor with the giant hydrothermal vent tubeworm (Riftia pachyptila), raising the possibility that the ancestors of these species switched from hydrothermal vents to whale bones.

Osedax mucofloris is the third Osedax species described and the first known from the Atlantic Ocean. It was discovered and described in 2005 by Glover et. al (2) from an experimentally deposited carcass of a Minke whale at a depth of 125 m in the Swedish North Sea. The worm has also been collected in the North Sea from submerged pilot whale bones at a depth of 30 m and Minke whale bones at a depth of 125 m (4). The first specimen discovered appeared as a pink, flower-like plume growing straight out of the side of the bones. By dissecting these plumes out of the bones, the scientists discovered that the other half of the animal (the ‘root’) was buried inside the bone, presumably extracting food from it. The females are fixed in one place and bore into the bones of whale carcasses and possibly those of other vertebrates (1-3). O. mucofloris extends out of the whale bone into the seawater. Its feathered plumes are the gills, or branchiae, and bring oxygen down to the root structure embedded in the whale bone. A cylinder-shaped columnar oviduct extends furthest into the water column. Scientists think it shoots fertilised eggs into the water column and may help the animal disperse tiny larvae, which are carried off by ocean currents. It is possible that intensive whaling over the last 300 years has reduced the available habitat for this worm

Glover et al. (2005) reported that disturbance caused the worms to retract completely into the bone. However, when placed in aquaria, with clean, chilled seawater, they would emerge from the bone and be clearly visible to the naked eye. Over a period of several minutes, the worms would first extend the palps, and then the oviduct (see video here). Any disturbance to the aquarium tank would result in the animals immediately withdrawing into the bone.

Osedax worms are marine annelids closely related to the deep sea vent/seep-associated vestimentiferan worms. The sessile (i.e., fixed in one place) females bore into the bones of whale carcasses--and possibly bones of other vertebrates (Rouse et al. 2004; Glover et al. 2005; Vrijenhoek et al. 2008).

Osedax mucofloris, only the third Osedax species described and the first Osedax known from the Atlantic Ocean, was described by Glover et. al (2005) from an experimentally deposited carcass of a Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) at a depth of 125 meters in the North Sea. This species has also been collected in the North Sea from submerged Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas) bones at a depth of 30 meters and Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) bones at a depth of 125 meters (Dahlgren et al. 2006). Osedax worms were previously known only from deep-sea (1500 to 3000 meter) whale-falls in the northeast Pacific. Glover et al. discuss the implications of such a global distribution of the genus Osedax for understanding the phylogeography, historical biogeography, and diversification of this group. (Glover et al. 2005)

Based on available data (which are clearly very limited), Osedax mucofloris is associated with shallower depths than other known Osedax species, having been collected at 30 and 125 meters.

Many Osedax species have numerous pinnules on their palps that give the crown a feathery appearance. Of the known Osedax species, only O. mucofloris and O. frankpressi have pinnules oriented all inward (the pinnules in the other species being turned outward, both inward and outward, or absent). Most known Osedax species have red palps (the palps of O. frankpressi are red with two white lateral stripes in living worms), but the palps of Osedax mucofloris are white to pink. (Rouse et al. 2004; Vrijenhoek et al. 2009)

Detailed examination of at least 50 mature specimens indicated an absence of the dwarfed males reported for northeast Pacific Osedax species. However, O. mucofloris appeared able to reproduce and grow to maturity within one month on defaunated bones placed into aquaria. (Glover et al. 2005)

Osedax mucofloris is a species of bathypelagic Polychaetes that is reported to sustain itself on the bones of dead whales. Translated from the mixed Greek and Latin used in scientific names, "Osedax mucofloris" literally means "snot-flower bone-eater", though the less-accurate "bone-eating snot-flower worm" seems to be the form actually used. The species is found in North East Atlantic where it is abundant.