Researchers Discover Ghastly Sea Dong, Name It The ‘Peanut Worm’

Researchers have identified a new species of deep sea worm that bears a truly uncanny resemblance to a human penis, and Twitter has taken notice.

A group of scientists working with Museums Victoria recently conducted an expedition near eastern Australia into a deep sea area nicknamed “the Abyss” – a habitat 4000 metres below the surface that’s virtually unexplored.

Over the month-long voyage called “Sampling the Abyss,” the team of 40 scientists discovered some pretty bizarre organisms. They included tiny deep sea sharks with razor-like teeth, translucent flesh eating crustaceans, and a faceless fish which has been rarely seen by humans since the 1800s.

But one creature from the deep really grabbed the public’s attention. It’s something called a peanut worm, and it actually looks a lot like something else that starts with the letter p. So when the International Business Times tweeted a non-insinuating photo of the peanut worm, the internet quickly did the work for them.

Somewhat ironically, the worms are able to procreate sexually and asexually. To see more of the creatures discovered by the Museums Victoria team, check out their awesome blog, Blogging the Abyss.

Agencies/Canadajournal