The worm that lives on a volcanic vent and wears bacteria as armor
This worm lives on the side of a volcanic vent, with its tail sitting in water hot enough to cook it.
Which one is REALLY true about the Pompeii Worm?
The short version
The Pompeii worm lives on deep-sea hydrothermal vents, its tail in water around 80 degrees Celsius while its head sits in water near 22. It grows a thick fleece of heat-shielding bacteria on its back, feeds them with mucus, and eats them in return — making it one of the most heat-tolerant animals known.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Pompeii Worm builds its home on the side of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent, kilometres below the surface.
- ✓The Pompeii Worm anchors its tail inside a chimney of superheated water close to eighty degrees Celsius while its head pokes out into water near twenty two.
- ✓The Pompeii Worm puts up with one of the steepest temperature gradients any animal on Earth survives.
- ✓The Pompeii Worm grows a thick grey fleece of bacteria all over its back.
- ✓The Pompeii Worm feeds those bacteria with mucus from its own skin, and then grazes on them in return.
You could line up about 9 of them along a 7-year-old!
The full story
This worm builds its home on the side of an underwater volcano. Meet the Pompeii worm, which lives on deep sea hydrothermal vents, kilometres below the surface. It anchors its tail deep inside a chimney of superheated water, close to eighty degrees Celsius, while its head pokes out into water near twenty two. That is one of the steepest temperature gradients any animal on Earth survives. And it does not do it alone. Its back is covered in a thick grey fleece of bacteria, which it feeds with mucus from its own skin. Those bacteria appear to work like insulation and armour against the heat, and in return, the worm grazes on them. Follow for more weird animal facts.
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“The Pompeii Worm builds its home on the side of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent, kilometres below the surface.”
“The Pompeii Worm is a jumping spider barely a centimetre long that hunts other spiders.”
“The Pompeii Worm anchors its tail inside a chimney of superheated water close to eighty degrees Celsius while its head pokes out into water near twenty two.”