HOUR GL-ARSE
Slimy sea creature that eats stone and poos out SAND discovered by scientists
A STRANGE worm-like creature that eats through stone and excretes sand has been studied closely for the first time.
The Lithoredo abatanica was first discovered in 2016 but scientists have spent a while trying to work out how the fresh water species actually functions.
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The bizarre species is thick and white and can reportedly grow up to a metre long.
Scientists have determined that the creature is a type of shipworm, which have been plaguing sailors for centuries with their teeth covered shells that bore holes into wooden boats.
The Lithoredo abatanica is just a rock eating shipworm that has thicker teeth than standard shipworms, which it uses to drill through stone.
The researchers noted: "The species is highly unusual in that it bores by ingesting rock."
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They have published there findings in the journal.
The creature was first discovered on the island of Bohol in the Phillipines.
It was found burrowing through rocks in a freshwater river.
More work needs to be done to determine whether the worms actually get any nutrients from the rocks they eat or whether they just digest stone as a way to move around.
Other theories suggest that the creatures actually use the stone as a gritty digestion aid so that they can digest organisms like plankton.
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Rock eating worm facts
Here's what you need to know about the weird creature...
- The Lithoredo abatanica is a type of shipworm
- These worms are known for burrowing through hard substances
- Lithoredo abatanica use their hard teeth to drill through rock, eat the substance and then excrete it as sand
- We don't yet know if they're eating the rock for nurtients, using the pieces to help them digest other food or simply digesting the rock to move around
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What do you think of this strange new creature? Let us know in the comments...
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