Even though the Haplosyllis anthogorgicola had not been seen for over fifty years, its existence remained a mystery due to its delicate and hidden nature within coral.
These tiny worms, measuring about the size of a green lentil, reside in burrows in coral, which makes them significantly difficult to discover or study effectively.
The sensitivity of the worms is a key factor in their elusive nature; they can easily escape detection if their coral habitat is removed.
The collaboration between Takahata and Fourreau exemplifies how unexpected discoveries can emerge from unplanned observations in marine research.
Collection
[
|
...
]