Worm Tower of Power Wild "Superorganism" Finally Caught on Camera!

Unveiling the 'Superorganism': Wild Worm Towers Spotted for the First Time

For the first time ever, scientists have observed wild nematodes forming intricate, writhing towers, a phenomenon previously only seen in controlled laboratory environments. This fascinating discovery, detailed in a recent report in Current Biology, sheds light on the cooperative behaviors of these tiny creatures and their ingenious strategies for survival.

The observation, made by researchers in Konstanz, Germany, at local orchards, challenges previous assumptions about why these "worm towers" form. Initially, scientists believed it was a competitive escape mechanism. However, these new findings suggest a more collaborative and mutually beneficial purpose: mass transit.

"I was ecstatic when I saw these natural towers for the first time," exclaimed Serena Ding, group leader at the MPI-AB, recalling the moment she received the video recording from Ryan Greenway, a biologist at the University of Konstanz. "For so long natural worm towers existed only in our imaginations. But with the right equipment and lots of curiosity, we found them hiding in plain sight.”

Here's a breakdown of what the researchers uncovered:

• Wild Towers Discovered: Researchers captured footage of nematode towers forming on fallen apples and pears in German orchards.
• Mass Transit Hypothesis: The towers aren't just random clusters; they're coordinated structures used for collective movement.
• Species Specificity: Only one nematode species, in the "dauer" larval stage, participated in tower building, indicating a deliberate cooperative effort.

Daniela Perez, a postdoctoral researcher at MPI-AB and first author of the study, aptly described the phenomenon: "A nematode tower is not just a pile of worms. It’s a coordinated structure, a superorganism in motion."

To further investigate this "superorganism" behavior, the research team turned to Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely studied roundworm. They created artificial conditions to see if these worms could also form towers.

The results were remarkable:

1. Engineered Towers: Researchers used a toothbrush bristle as a scaffold on a food-free agar plate.
2. Rapid Assembly: Within two hours, the C. elegans formed a tower around the bristle.
3. Sensing and Growth: The towers exhibited active sensing, growing towards external stimuli when touched.

Interestingly, unlike the orchard nematodes, the laboratory-bound C. elegans towers involved worms from various life stages. This suggests that "towering" could be a more universal strategy for group movement than initially anticipated. The efforts within the tower were also found to be remarkably egalitarian.

This groundbreaking research offers a "missing link" in understanding similar behaviors observed in other organisms like slime molds, fire ants, and spider mites. It opens up exciting new avenues for exploring the complexities of animal cooperation and collective movement. As Ding concludes, "Our study opens up a whole new system for exploring how and why animals move together."

The discovery of wild nematode towers not only captivates our imagination but also deepens our understanding of the intricate social lives of even the smallest creatures. It highlights the power of collaborative behavior and the unexpected ways in which organisms adapt to thrive in their environments.

Tags: Nematodes, Worm towers, Animal behavior, Current Biology, Konstanz, Germany, Max Planck Institute, Mass transit, Worms, Natural towers

Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/watch-superorganism-created-by-tiny-worms-the-first-time-its-ever-been-spotted-in-the-wild