A new species of branching worm was recently discovered in Japan. The animal was the only third species to be listed ever in history. Due to its unique features and anatomy, the scientists named it Ramisyllis kingghidorahi, after the three-headed kaiju antagonist in the "Godzilla" franchise, King Ghidorah.
New Branching Worm Species Named After King Ghidorah
The study was led by international experts from the University of Gottingen. According to the paper, the branching worms thrive in shallow water bodies. Although its name comes from a three-headed beast, the Ramisyllis kingghidorahi only contains a single head. However, the species could naturally expand its anatomy by branching out to multiple posteriors, a skill that is somewhat similar to King Ghidorah's.
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi is commonly found in their natural habitats located at the internal canals of various sea sponges. The scientists collaborated with the University of Gottingen's animal evolution and biodiversity expert Maria Teresa Aguado and their colleagues to examine the subject further.
Aguado explained in a DailyMail report that King Ghidorah is a fictional creature that branches out through regenerating its lost ends. Because of this, the team chose the character's name as the most appropriate label for the new branching worm species.
Only three species of branching worms are currently discovered. Two of them, both R. kingghidorahi and R. multicaudata, are found in stony sponges in shallow parts of the ocean. The first branching worm species, Syllis ramosa, was discovered in the Philippines in 1879. This separate group is mostly found in glass sponges located in deeper oceanic regions.
ALSO READ: New Spider-Killing Nematode Species Discovered; Named After 'Arachnophobia' Star Jeff Daniels
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi and the Mystery of Branching Worms
Aguado said that throughout the history of biological studies, the first species of branching worms were thought to be unique. Following the discovery, the team was surprised to learn that there are other living organisms of the same kind that only have one head but can branch out.
According to the authors, molecular observations revealed that the two shallow-water species share a common ancestor. They theorized that the linage could be traced back to an asymmetrical organism with a branching body that has evolved in an environment shared with corals. The two modern-day species have a significant distinction between their anatomical structure, which are evident in their body segments.
Growing rear segments in branching worms may have honed through various evolution of the common branching in other worms. The feature was added with regenerations of new segments during reproduction when they adapted throughout time.
Although they have existed on the planet, many things are still unsolved about the branching worms. Aguado said scientists are still clueless regarding the hundred-year relationship between the branching worms and their host sponges. The study was published in the journal Organisms Diversity & Evolution, titled "Ramisyllis kingghidorahi n. sp., a new branching annelid from Japan."
Check out more news and information on Biology in Science Times.
