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Ocean species are disappearing before scientists can even find them

A bold new project is uncovering the ocean’s hidden worms before they disappear forever.

Date:

March 27, 2026

Source:

University of Göttingen

Summary:

Species are vanishing faster than ever, and many are disappearing before scientists even know they exist. Now, an international team is racing against time to uncover hidden life beneath the waves by building a massive open-access genomic database of European marine worms. These tiny but vital creatures help keep ocean ecosystems running—recycling nutrients, mixing sediments, and signaling pollution.

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Amblyosyllis madeirensis, a bristle worm first described on Madeira (Portugal). Credit: Arne Nygren in Aguado et al. (2019), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214211

Species around the world are vanishing at an accelerating pace, driven by climate change, habitat destruction, and invasive species. Many lesser-known groups, including marine worms, are especially at risk, with some facing extinction before scientists have even identified them.

To address this gap, researchers from the University of Göttingen, the Leibniz Institute for Biodiversity Change Analysis (LIB), and the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research are launching a major effort to document European "marine annelids" - segmented sea worms - and make the data openly available. By building a comprehensive, accessible dataset, the initiative aims to speed up the discovery of new species and deepen global understanding of biodiversity. The project, "EuroWorm: Accelerating Global Marine Annelid Biodiversity Research with Open Genomic Data for European Species," is led by the LIB and funded by the Leibniz Association.

Mapping Hidden Ocean Biodiversity With Genomics

Marine annelids are found across nearly all ocean environments, where they help mix sediments, recycle nutrients, signal pollution levels, and support marine food webs. The research team plans to collect samples from European locations where many species were originally described.

Once collected, the specimens will be identified morphologically - meaning by their form, structure or shape -, photographed in high resolution, and analyzed using advanced genomic tools and other modern techniques. The goal is to assemble a detailed genomic catalog of European marine annelids, clarify how different groups are related on the evolutionary tree, and explore how their physical traits, reproduction, and lifestyles have evolved over time.

Open Data to Accelerate Global Species Discovery

The collected worms, along with their images and genetic data, will be added to the collections of the LIB at the Museum of Natural History Hamburg and the Senckenberg Natural History Museum. Scientists around the world, particularly in the Global South, will be able to access these resources through institutional portals and platforms such as GBIF, or request specimens for further study.

"By comparing data on European species, we hope to accelerate the discovery of new species and biodiversity research worldwide - and thus counteract the 'silent extinction' of marine species," explains project leader Dr. Jenna Moore from the LIB. The initiative also aims to reinforce the role of natural history museums as modern research hubs equipped with cutting-edge tools.

Museum Collections and DNA Unlock Hidden Species

Three researchers from Göttingen University's Animal Evolution and Biodiversity research group are contributing to the project. "Such collections are scientific time capsules," says Dr. Maria Teresa Aguado Molina: "Historical collections, combined with modern genomics, are unlocking hidden biodiversity at an unprecedented pace. EuroWorm shows that the most advanced discoveries begin with specimens collected decades ago."

Professor Christoph Bleidorn highlights Göttingen's long-standing focus on annelid evolution, noting, "This means we are all the more delighted to be able to pursue these questions further as part of a project funded by the Leibniz Association."

A Collaborative Effort to Define Future Research

EuroWorm brings together expertise from multiple institutions, creating a strong foundation for large-scale biodiversity research. According to Dr. Conrad Helm, "The comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach provides an excellent basis for thoroughly documenting the diversity of marine annelids and, at the same time, for specifically defining future research priorities."