Red Acorn Worm

Red Acorn Worm

Credit: © 2010 NOAA Okeanos Explorer

A newly discovered species of acorn worm found in the Celebes Sea of the western Pacific. These fragile worms live on the sea floor.

Make like a rose

Make like a rose

Credit: © 2010 NOAA Okeanos Explorer

A new species of acorn worm looks a bit like a rose on the sea floor. The tubular shapes in the right of the photo are castings, or sand and sediment excreted after the worm filters through it for nutrients.

Yellow Worm

Yellow Worm

Credit: © 2010 MBARI Doc Ricketts

Another species of acorn worm rests among its castings.

Flat Worm

Flat Worm

Credit: © 2003 MBARI Tiburon

A nearly-transparent acorn worm in the Gulf of California.

Two for the Price of One

Two for the Price of One

Credit: © 2003 MBARI Tiburon

A sea spider steps over an acorn worm in this image taken by an remotely operated vehicle.

Long Worm

Long Worm

Credit: © 2010 MBARI Doc Ricketts

A new species of acorn worm moves amid brittle stars.

Floating Worm

Floating Worm

Credit: © 2004 MBARI Tiburon

In a new discovery, researchers observed worms drifting as much as 66 feet (20 meters) above the seafloor. It seems that the worms are capable of floating from feeding zone to feeding zone.

Friends in Low Places

Friends in Low Places

Credit: NOAA/MBARI 2006

An acorn worm (top left) shares the sea floor with a spiky sea cucumber (center). This photo was taken on the Davidson Seamount at 9,596 feet (2925 meters).

Lone Acorn Worm

Lone Acorn Worm

Credit: NOAA/MBARI 2006

An acorn worm on the Davidson Seamount at 10,784 feet (3287 meters).

Feeding Acorn Worm

Feeding Acorn Worm

Credit: Neptune Canada, distributed via a Creative Commons license.

An acorn worm photographed in the Endeavor Rift Valley.