Leocratides kimuraorum

Leocratides kimuraorum (Japanese: Kimura-hanakago-otohime-gokai) is a species of marine worm belonging to Hesionidae,[1] which is known for the intensity of its intraspecific fighting.[2] Its body is nearly translucent and up to 29 millimetres (1.1 in) long.

Leocratides kimuraorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Order: Phyllodocida
Family: Hesionidae
Genus: Leocratides
Species:
L. kimuraorum
Binomial name
Leocratides kimuraorum
Jimi, Tanaka & Kajihara, 2017

This bristle worm species lives off the coast of Japan, inside sponges 85–169 metres (279–554 ft) deep.[2]

L. kimuraorum produces one of the loudest sounds in the ocean, a popping sound, at 157 dB, frequencies 1–100 kHz, similar to the snapping shrimps.[3][2]

Discovery

The worm was first discovered in 2017. The holotype specimen was found at a depth of 104 metres (341 ft), south of Honshu, off the coast of Shima, Mie[1] The holotype was 29 millimetres (1.1 in) long and 5 millimetres (0.20 in) wide. Discovered in Sagami Bay, the Japanese name of the worm is Kimura-hanakago-otohime-gokai.[4]

Taxonomy

Other members of the genus Leocratides — worms inhabiting Aphrocallistes sponges — include L. ehlersi and L. filamentosus.

Leocratides kimuraorum can be distinguished by its the length of the antennae, which are as long as palps.[4]

Description

The worm has 21 segments and 16 of them bear chaetae (the bristled setae of polychaetes). The face is somewhat flattened. The body is cylindrical, but tapers slightly toward the posterior end. In life, the worm is transparent, with ring-shaped integument (scaly ridges) along the back, and discontinuous brown stripe markings. Like other members of its genus, Leocratides kimuraorum inhabits hexactinellid sponges.[4]

Behavior

In a behavior that researchers called "mouth-fighting," the worms approach each other headfirst with their mouths open. During these encounters, the pharynx muscles expand rapidly, forming a cavitation bubble that then collapses and produces a loud "pop" while the worms launch into each other. They may use this mouth-fighting to defend territory or living chambers from other worms.[2] The production of this sound implies unique and extreme biomechanics for a soft-bodied organism.[3] The sound produced is 157 decibels and at ultra high frequencies.[5]

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References
  1. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Leocratides kimuraorum Jimi, Tanaka & Kajihara, 2017". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  2. Saplakoglu 2019-07-16T15:48:02Z, Yasemin. "Tiny Fighting Worms Make One of the Loudest Sounds in the Ocean". livescience.com. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  3. Goto, Ryutaro; Hirabayashi, Isao; Palmer, A. Richard (2019-07-08). "Remarkably loud snaps during mouth-fighting by a sponge-dwelling worm". Current Biology. 29 (13): R617–R618. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.047. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 31287974.
  4. Jimi, Naoto; Tanaka, Masaatsu; Kajihara, Hiroshi (2017-11-25). "Leocratides (Annelida: Hesionidae) from the Pacific Coast of Middle Honshu, Japan, with a Description of Leocratides kimuraorum sp. nov". Species Diversity. 22: 133–141. doi:10.12782/specdiv.22.133.
  5. Taub, Matthew (2019-07-17). "Meet the Noisy, Head-Butting Marine Worms That Live Near Japan". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
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