larva of an unidentified polychaete worm

The larva of an unidentified polychaete worm collected from the plankton directly over a cold seep on the Louisiana slope. This worm larva may be from a seep animal on the bottom, but it may also be from a worm living in the sediment far away from any cold seeps. Larvae such as this are obtained with a MOCNESS sampler that uses modern electronics to open and close a series of nets towed at precise depths. Image courtesy of Gulf of Mexico 2002, NOAA/OER.

Related Links

Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico: The Wayward Children of Worms

NOAA Ocean Explorer Gallery