Comments
Loading Dream Comments...
You must be logged in to write a comment - Log In
ArtistIn times of climate change, feather duster worms have adapted to a terrestrial habitat. For these filter feeders to successfully colonize land, the feather duster worms have increased the sticky mucus and grooves of their tentacles to trap food particles from the air. Moreover, the mucus contains poisons to immediately paralyze insects that come into contact with the worms’ fans. The feather duster worms’ outer cuticle has hardened by increasing calcium deposits to effectively form an exoskeleton. Also, the worms have developed a vascularized skin, like their distant relatives, the earthworms, to breathe oxygen from damp air while preventing water loss. The giant feather duster worms have developed a camouflage coloring for the swampland they inhabit, with flecks of yellows, greens, and browns in their large fans that sway in the breeze to capture airborne food. The new swampland food sources and their toxic mucus to fend off predators have allowed the feather duster worms to grow to twice the size they had as ocean dwellers. The image is a close-up of several feather duster worms attached to a rotting log in the swampland, their fans fully open. The style is a biological illustration with scientific precision, drawn as line art in bold colors.
Giant feather duster worms have adapted to a terrestrial habitat. Caution, their spectacular fans are toxic!