Pompeii worm [Alvinella pompejana]
Description
The Pompeii worm is a species of deep-sea polychaete worm (annelid) that inhabits hydrothermal vent ecosystems. It is known for its extraordinary heat tolerance and is one of the most heat-tolerant complex animals known to science. They are typically found in the Pacific Ocean, particularly in the East Pacific Rise and Galapagos Rift. The worm is approximately 13 centimeters long with a head covered in feather-like tentacles, and its body is covered with a layer of bacteria that gives it a hairy appearance.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Segmented Worms
Annelida
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Polychaetes
Polychaeta
|
| Order |
Canalipalpata
Canalipalpata
|
| Family |
Alvinellids
Alvinellidae
|
| Genus |
Alvinella
Alvinella
|