A tiny nocturnal worm native to the Mediterranean Sea has eyes as sharp as mammals, according to neuro and marine biologist Anders Garm from the University of…
The discovery marks the first time this animal group is known to have such a detailed view of the world.A tiny nocturnal worm native to the Mediterranean Sea has eyes as sharp as mammals, according to neuro and marine biologist Anders Garm from the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Biology.
The worms were first discovered around the Italian island of Ponzo, which is west of Naples. After their discovery and the subsequent realization of their eyes, Garm and Lund University scientist Michael Bok set out to research the worms' visual capabilities. This capability is typically unique to vertebrates, arthropods and cephalopods. The discovery marks the first time this animal group is known to have such a detailed view of the world. “In fact, our research has shown that the worm has outstanding vision,” Garm said. “Its eyesight is on a par with that of mice or rats, despite being a relatively simple organism with a miniscule brain.”As nocturnal animals, most of their important work, like finding food and mating, is done at night.
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