My new band name.

"bone-eating snot flowers"

Is that the new term for "precious snowflakes"?

I saw this on Bones

Actually, it's kind of cool, if you read about the event that puts them there: a "whale-fall." No, it's not the fat lady slipping in her shower, but what this marine mammal does when it dies.
The sad part of the story is realizing that there used to be hundreds of thousands of the magnificent animals out there. Now, not so much.

Huck And Molly Ziegler: The sad part of the story is realizing that there used to be hundreds of thousands of the magnificent animals out there. Now, not so much.

The silver lining of global warming might be the re-population of the Atlantic by Grey Whales swimming across the north-west passage.

It's a good thing borings associated with Osedax have a rather distinctive shape. Being a retired invertebrate ichnologist (trace fossil researcher), I know how difficult it can be to associate a definite producing organism to a particular trace with a reasonable degree of certainty, this being because many organisms can produce similar burrows, tracks, trails or borings though similar behaviour.

Here's another example so you can see the shape of other small borings ascribed to Osedax. Link (new window)

FTWWA: The zombie worms are one of scores of organisms which are provided for when whales die.

Whales have life insurance?

LordOfThePings: FTWWA: The zombie worms are one of scores of organisms which are provided for when whales die.

Whales have life insurance?

Whales ARE life insurance.

Fubini: I saw this on Bones

Yes, and IIRC they were called precisely that endearing term.

How is this "Just in time for Halloween"? Halloween was yesterday.

Had a bunch of them come up to the house begging for candy last night.

Happpy Hallloween!!!

Zombie? WTF is wrong with these people?

FTA: 'As soon as the creatures hit the ocean floor in a "whale fall", an ecosystem begins to develop aimed at releasing the nutrients in the corpse.'

Another example of idiocy: the aim of the members of the "ecosystem" is not to release the nutrients, it's to EAT them.

I'm sure the bone-eating snot flowers don't give a damn about any "ecosystem," and still wouldn't if they could.

I could have sworn "bone-eating snot flowers" was a waterboarding-bukkake hybrid of some sort.

/I am dissapoint.
//rule 34 anyone?!? I challenge you...

/hot like hot hail

dennilfloss: It's a good thing borings associated with Osedax have a rather distinctive shape. Being a retired invertebrate ichnologist (trace fossil researcher), I know how difficult it can be to associate a definite producing organism to a particular trace with a reasonable degree of certainty, this being because many organisms can produce similar burrows, tracks, trails or borings though similar behaviour.

Here's another example so you can see the shape of other small borings ascribed to Osedax. Link (new window)

Ahem. The proper post format is to first proclaim that you are a retired invertebrate ichnologist and that you're really getting a kick out of these replies.

pottie: "bone-eating snot flowers"

Is that the new term for "precious snowflakes"?

It's when your precious snowflakes become promiscuous teens sluts.

dennilfloss: ...Being a retired invertebrate ichnologist...

If this was a Sci-fi (sorry "Syfy") movie, you'd get a call in about 20 minutes from a maverick government researcher begging you to come out of retirement because of *insert CGI monster here*.

JackalRabbit: My new band name.

Came for this.

Also, this is one of those "goddamned nature" stories that isn't particularly new.

Well, perhaps to Telegraph readers.

JackalRabbit: My new band name.

or a new pet name for the misses.

dennilfloss: It's a good thing borings associated with Osedax have a rather distinctive shape. Being a retired invertebrate ichnologist (trace fossil researcher), I know how difficult it can be to associate a definite producing organism to a particular trace with a reasonable degree of certainty, this being because many organisms can produce similar burrows, tracks, trails or borings though similar behaviour.

Here's another example so you can see the shape of other small borings ascribed to Osedax. Link (new window)

To be boring within
And boring without
And boring around
And boring about
Is boring indeed
And the wood I would eat
As I bored 'neath the bed
Would go very neat
Very straight to my head

-Kelly

fortean chicken wins!

That's my nickname for your mom.

"Bone-eating snot-flower" is the best euphemism for a vagina I have heard in a long time.

Cormee: How is this "Just in time for Halloween"? Halloween was yesterday.

12:09PM GMT 31 Oct 2011

Not my fault the admins sit on greenlit subs for hours.

- Subby

"Admiral, I am receiving whale fall!"