A translucent eel-like creature coiled on a sandy ocean floor, surrounded by dark rocks and marked with winding trails in the sand.
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Acorn Worm
Acorn worms, like this one seen during Dive 07 of the 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration cruise, are bottom-dwelling invertebrates that create distinct spiral patterns on the seafloor as they ingest mud, process nutrients from it, and leave a spiral of waste behind them. We saw these coiled waste piles through the dive.
Credit

NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration.