Almost Invisible: Transparent Animals of the Deep Sea
Gossamer Worm | Tomopteris
This worm belongs in the water column, not in the sand. Most Tomopteris have a transparent body, with fleshy swimming appendages arranged along both sides and long sensory extensions reaching from the head. They coordinate side-to-side body motion with the rowing of those appendages, producing a surprisingly agile swimmer. Transparency helps reduce their visibility in the dim midwater, although some species also have a red stomach that masks light from swallowed prey. The photograph shows a Tomopteris individual; distinguishing species usually requires closer examination than a distant image allows.
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