Sea creature — covered in ‘glitter’ — found by hot vents in Pacific. See new species
In the darkest depths of the Pacific Ocean, small “oases” host countless creatures searching for a bit of warmth.
Around one of these geothermal vents, or hot vents, tiny molluscs gather and pile on one another for a chance at the heat and chemicals spewing from the seafloor.
They are dark like the water surrounding them, but when placed in the light, their glittery exterior looks like something from a fantasy novel.
It’s a new species.
The molluscs were collected by an underwater robot along the Tonga-Tofua Arc, a chain of active underwater volcanoes stretching from New Zealand to Fiji, and brought to a museum, according to a study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society on May 23.
The outside of their shells are covered with short ridges and are a shimmery, reflective color.
It earned the new species its name — Symmetromphalus mithril.
“‘Mithril,’ meaning ‘gray glitter’ in Sindarin, (is) a fictional silvery metal,” according to the study. “Named in allusion to the silvery coloration and sheen of the periostracum in comparison to other (known species).”
Mithril is a precious metal used by elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series, according to Tolkien Gateway. The material is sought after for its strength and malleability while maintaining a light weight.
The shell is made of two layers, the inside a “semi-transparent, bluish-white, with a silvery, silky sheen,” according to the study.
The body of the animal inside has a large head and no eyes, researchers said. It’s made of “horseshoe-shaped” muscle and a circular foot that reaches out from the shell to help the mollusc move.
The shell of the new species is slightly larger than other known species, and many others have a thick shell with a yellowish-brown color, researchers said.
They belong to the animal class gastropods, the largest group of molluscs, according to the British Geological Survey. Gastropods have existed since the Cambrian period, around 540 million years ago.
“Symmetromphalus mithril is the fourth species described in its genus, which has been found only in southwestern Pacific hydrothermal vent habitats,” according to the study.
This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Sea creature — covered in ‘glitter’ — found by hot vents in Pacific. See new species."
