Halicephalobus mephisto

Halicephalobus mephisto ( devil worm ) is a nematode ( Nematoda ), in a depth of 0.5 to 3.6 km below the surface lives in a mine in South Africa in high-temperature water, multiplies asexually and feeds on bacteria.

Type locality is a bay of the Beatrix gold mine in Welkom. The type specimens were filtered from mine water, which was under high pressure and was hypoxic. In addition, the species was found in three other mines ( Tautona mine ) at depths from 0.5 to 3.6 km. According to radiocarbon dating, the water has an age 2900-12100 years. Of the previously known living species of worm is the deepest living multicellular animal in the earth's crust.

He was named after Mephistopheles. This name carries the devil in Faust fabric.

Features

The type specimens of Halicephalobus mephisto were 0.52 to 0.56 mm in length after fixation. Their morphology is minimalist. The tail is relatively long ( 110 to 130 microns ), the end thready. The reproductive organs are located on the right side of the intestine.

Way of life

The water was found in the Halicephalobus mephisto, had a temperature of 43 ° to 48 ° C and contained various aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Three surviving copies of Halicephalobus mephisto eating bacteria, while non-preferred Escherichia coli as in nematodes in laboratory practice, but considered themselves primarily to the subterranean bacteria ( for example Desulforudis audaxviator ). The specimens of H. mephisto found increased parthenogenesis.

Source

• Borgonie, G.; García- Moyano, A.; Lithuanians, D.; Bert, W.; Best, A.; van Heerden, E.; Möller, C.; Erasmus, M.; Onstott, TC (2011): Nematoda from the terrestrial deep subsurface of South Africa. Nature 474 (7349): 79-82. doi: 10.1038/nature09974