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.
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."
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.
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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