This deep-sea polar worm looks like it can't decide if it's dressed for a glitzy party or a gruesome massacre.

The scale worm lives deep in the Antarctic ocean and they grow up to 8 inches long. (Image credit: Smithsonian NMNH) Different polychaete species use their bristles for different purposes ...

In this case, Antarctic scale worms' shimmering golden hairs could help them crawl or swim through the water, or defend themselves from threats. It's unclear why their bristles are golden.

The microbiome of Antarctic worms helps them cope with extremely cold conditions, providing insights into the role of the microbiome in host health and adaptation. Sneha Khedkar is an Assistant Editor ...

but that Xylophaga ship worms ought to be extremely rare. The latter's scarcity should be expected given that no significant tree growth has occurred in the Antarctic for millions of years ...