Highlights

Last week, we mentioned polychaete species that are relatively mobile in the sediment. Today, we shift the focus to a tubeworm species and its larval culture.

Tubeworms are sessile worms that build their homes (tubes) around their bodies. The tubes are usually attached to a fixed substrate. Some tubeworms can grow to large sizes. For example, Riftia pachyptila is one of the largest known tubeworms that can grow up to 1.5m in length, 4mm in diameter. It is found on the deep-sea floor at hydrothermal vents that are rich in hydrogen sulphide.

In this four-part series celebrating International Polychaete Day (1st July), we will feature four different polychaete research carried out at the St John’s Island Marine Laboratory. We are kicking it off with a subject closer to home ― the biodiversity of polychaetes in Singapore.

If you have heard of bloodworms, bristleworms, fanworms, feather-duster worms, fireworms, ragworms, scaleworms, sea mouse, spaghetti worms, tubeworms, would it surprise you that they are all actually polychaetes!

SJINML celebrates International Polychaete Day!
Come Sunday, the 1st of July, we will be celebrating International Polychaete Day. The date commemorates the birthday of the late Dr Kristian Fauchald, a world-renowned polychaete scientist. This marks the fourth year of celebrations and the marine lab is definitely not letting it pass this time!

Researchers here have found that some marine organisms may be able to retain tiny pieces of plastic in their bodies for several days.

Join our scientists as they explore the deep ocean off the south-west coast of Java with scientists from Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) on board the research vessel Baruna Jaya VIII….

The South Java deep-sea biodiversity expedition—SJADES 2018—sets sail from Jakarta on 23 March 2018, to the deep waters off the southwestern coast of Java via the Sunda Strait.

Researchers from the marine lab report the identity of the latest alien invader as Mytella strigata (Hanley, 1843) in the latest issue of the journal, Molluscan Research.

Official link to NUS website: Here

Links to online news:

Lianhe Zaobao: Here

Straits Times: Here

Channel News Asia: Here

The Young Scientists (YS) Community of the World Economic Forum, in consultation with senior researchers and ethicists, developed a universal Code of Ethics for Researchers to serve as a guide with ethical principles on how to be ethical scientists in today’s world. In response to increasing fake news and science deniers, the YS community hopes to use this Code to guide and shape the behaviour of individuals in making positive changes of culture in the scientific world.