Osedax : Bone-Eating Marine Worms with Dwarf Males | Zendy

Greg W. Rouse | Zendy; Shana K. Goffredi | Zendy; Robert C. Vrijenhoek | Zendy

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Osedax : Bone-Eating Marine Worms with Dwarf Males

Author(s) -

Greg W. Rouse,

Shana K. Goffredi,

Robert C. Vrijenhoek

Publication year - 2004

Publication title -

science

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 12.556

H-Index - 1186

eISSN - 1095-9203

pISSN - 0036-8075

DOI - 10.1126/science.1098650

Subject(s) - biology , neoteny , genus , zoology , evolutionary biology , ecology

We describe a new genus, Osedax, and two new species of annelids with females that consume the bones of dead whales via ramifying roots. Molecular and morphological evidence revealed that Osedax belongs to the Siboglinidae, which includes pogonophoran and vestimentiferan worms from deep-sea vents, seeps, and anoxic basins. Osedax has skewed sex ratios with numerous dwarf (paedomorphic) males that live in the tubes of females. DNA sequences reveal that the two Osedax species diverged about 42 million years ago and currently maintain large populations ranging from 10(5) to 10(6) adult females.

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