Polar Twins

Despite being separated by a distance of 7,000 miles, this ribbon worm species in the Arctic is identical to a ribbon worm species found in the Antarctic.  Scientists at the Census for Marine Life were surprised to find as many as 235 species that live in both polar seas. 

This one, Pelagonemertes rollestoni, measures about 1.2 incles long. It's got a dart attached to its tongue, which it uses to harpoon zooplankton.  Its yellow stomach reaches out to feed all parts of its body.



Photo: Russ Hopcroft, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Census of Marine Life

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From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.


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Easy. Any who have a larval form that is planktonic will literally float where the currents go. If they end up in warm water when it is time to change, they die. If they make it to another pole, they live. Geologic separation of species and speciation caused by that separation overtime can be irrelevant if species are able to traverse the barrier in some form of their existence and live to reproduce. If that was too much for you, just remember that bullies are fuzzy and duckies are fluffy. FLUFFY!
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The simple explanation for microscopic and near microscopic species existing at both poles would seem to be that they became insinuated in the feathers of the Arctic Tern and were carried from one area to the other during migration.
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