The Astonishing Science Behind Sea Worms' Detachable Butts

Scientists have discovered how Japanese green syllid worms, Megasyllis nipponica, develop their swimming reproductive unit called a stolon. The stolon, which contains gametes, detaches from the worm's body and swims autonomously to spawn with the opposite sex. The development of the stolon's head within the original body has long puzzled scientists, but research led by Professor Toru Miura from the University of Tokyo has shed light on this process. The study found that the expression of developmental genes, including head formation genes, is modified to fit the unique reproductive style of these worms. This research opens up further investigation into the intricacies of this unusual reproductive method.