Mud – Dwelling Shipworm Investigated by Biologists

A giant mud – dwelling shipworm got studied for the first time. The scientific name of this never before studied specie is Kuphus polythalamia. Researchers at Northeastern University and the University of Utah are leading an international team of marine biologists to study this.

The shipworm gets its energy from some sulfur form and is not seen eating much. The worm is a part of common wood-boring and wood-feeding bivalve family Teredinidae. The family is commonly known as shipworms. It has strange anatomy and habitat along with a huge size. The size of it may reach 5 feet in length and 6 centimeters in diameter.

Its existence has been known to scientists for many years and these were first documented in 18^th century. Biologists found live specimens of this specie in the mud of a shallow lagoon in Philippines. They also found that this specie is different from other members of the family Teredinidae.

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