The Bone-Eating Snot Flower

Filed under: Posted in Article of the Day, Trivia | by Article of the Day
Osedax is a genus of polychaete—sea worm—that feeds on the bones of whale carcasses. Possessing neither stomachs nor mouths, members of the Osedax genus rely on symbiotic species of bacteria to digest whale fat and oils and to release nutrients that they can absorb through unusual root-like structures. One species is known as the "bone-eating snot flower" after its scientific name, Osedax mucofloris. When were these strange creatures first discovered? Discuss

One Response to The Bone-Eating Snot Flower

  1. Elisha says:
    January 6, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Came to your site through Delicious. You already know I am signing up to your rss feed.

    Reply

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