# video | These worms can gnaw stones, but why?

In ancient times, builders and ship ownersthey were terribly afraid of the so-called mob - mollusks from the family of shipworms, who ruined the ship by eating their wood. Researchers at Northeastern United States University have discovered a new variety of these creatures that have even more power and are able to gnaw through deep holes even in stones. The new species was named Lithoredo abatanica, and researchers are still actively engaged in their study.

Residents told scientists about unusual creaturesIslands of Bohol, which is located in the Philippine archipelago. The mollusks were found on the Ataban River, and scientists noted that they are really very different from other shipworms. Compared to other species, they do not have a serrated instrument on the front part of the body, but they have similar spatula incisors. The length of their white body is from five to ten centimeters.

Found worms who eat stones

The habitat of the new species of worms isbig stones in which they make a lot of moves. During drilling, they eat pieces of stones - this was proven during the opening. After placing the worms in the aquarium, the researchers found out that subsequently formed limestone worms are released outside through a siphon, which is designed to remove waste.

Researchers still do not know for what purposeclams use eaten sandstone, but they have a couple of assumptions. Perhaps the worms use tiny particles of stones to grind plankton that they eat - the birds' digestive system works in the same way. There is also a possibility that the worms somehow learned how to get nutrients from stones, but this theory requires careful testing.

With all this, the worms Lithoredo abatanica at allnot interested in eating wood - the researchers examined the trees lying next to the holed stone, and they were intact. Also, the new type of mollusks did not show a part of the body with bacteria that help its fellows digest cellulose.

Worms are among the most numerous.species of living organisms on planet Earth. During their study, scientists make the most unexpected discoveries - for example, it was found that some of them emit substances that stop the aging process.

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