Hidden in a Museum Collection for More Than a Century, Researchers Have Just Made a Bizarre New Discovery

• The study revealed at least ten new species of branching worms, previously unknown and hidden in museum collections for over a century.
• The researchers used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to reveal the specimens without damaging their hosts, and the findings show thirteen distinct forms of branching worms found in the Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, and near New Zealand.
• The study found that these worms stem from two evolutionary lineages: Ramisyllis and Cladosyllis, and that their diversity is linked to their specialized habitats.
• The research highlights the importance of museum collections in uncovering new species and the role of genetic data in reconstructing evolutionary history.
• The findings suggest that branching worms evolved from a common ancestor and have developed two major lineages with physical differences.
• The study, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, emphasizes the value of preserved specimens in advancing scientific discovery.

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