🧬 To describe this polychaete, one simply must use jazz hands — it is the only way to capture this deep-sea worm’s dazzle! According to some experts, the species name means many bristles. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia, which are covered in bristles called chaetae. ⁠ ⁠ Some worms are bioluminescent, but this sassy sparkler has priridescent bristles due to protein structures in the bristles. Polychaetes play a vital role throughout our global ocean, from heat-tolerant extremophiles at hydrothermal vents to the bone-eating Osedax worms that cycle nutrients.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ 📹️ courtesy of: @schmidtocean⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #polychaete #bioluminescent #bristles #worm #chaetae #deepsea #marinebiology #biology #science