Story: Marine animals without backbones

Mud dragon

Mud dragon

This mud dragon, magnified more than 100 times, is one of three species discovered in Otago Harbour in 2004. Their scientific name, kinorhynch, means moveable snout. No more than 1 millimetre long, these tiny animals burrow through mud, using their spine-covered snouts to trap prey.

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Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) by Brian Paavo

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How to cite this page:

Dennis Gordon and Maggy Wassilieff, 'Marine animals without backbones - Tiny sea animals', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/5866/mud-dragon (accessed 30 April 2024)

Story by Dennis Gordon and Maggy Wassilieff, published 12 Jun 2006