Worms Without Mouths

These extraordinary giant tube worms—and the accordian-ridged Jericho worms nestled among them—have no mouths or stomachs. They get their nutrition from symbiotic bacteria that live inside their bodies. The worms soak up energy-rich chemicals through their soft, red plumes. Special hemoglobin in their blood transports the chemicals to the bacteria, which convert them into food for the tube worms. The worms' hard tubes, which they retreat into to escape predators, also provide colonization space for other animals such as limpets.