Mollusks, Worms, Sponges, Starfish

The 75-pound "Pearl of Puerto."

At 75 Pounds, This Could Be the World's Largest Pearl

The Filipino fisherman found the massive gem over a decade ago and kept it as a good luck charm

New research is causing the original keystone species, the ochre sea star Pisaster ochraceus, to lose some of its supposed ecosystem-controlling powers.

Tide Shifts Against the Concept of a Keystone Species

Starfish challenge a key ecological concept, ushering in a slightly-more democratic era for tide pools everywhere

Extremeophile Worms Discovered Living in Toxic Colorado Cave

Sulphur Cave in Steamboat Springs is home to a new species of blood-red worm capable of living in a cave full of hydrogen sulfide

This brittle star, Sigsbeia oloughlini, was found the coast of Esperance, Western Australia.

Meet the Diverse and Bizarre “Stars” of the Deep Sea

As human activities encroach on remote oceans, scientists work to map the denizens of the deep

A Chilean beach–before.

Why Are Chilean Beaches Covered With Dead Animals?

Warm waters have turned the country's once-pristine coast into a putrid sight

The great pond snail is helping scientists make great leaps in their understanding of asymmetries in the animal kingdom.

Snail Shells Add a New Twist to the Mystery of Animal Asymmetries

After more than a century of searching, scientists have discovered a gene in snails that may control asymmetries inside many animals

Is the Earthworm Native to the United States and More Questions From Readers

You asked, we answered

Oysters Could Save Staten Island From the Next Hurricane Sandy

A living breakwater could prevent future flooding while cleaning polluted waters

The World’s Rarest Silk Is Made of Clam Spit

Only one person in the world is thought to be able to dive for, spin and create rare "sea silk"

This Starfish-Killing Robot Could Help Save The Great Barrier Reef

Reef-eating starfish beware

14 Fun Facts About Marine Bristle Worms

In honor of the first ever International Polychaete Day, learn about the bristly worms that are everywhere in the ocean

Jumping worms are becoming more common in Wisconsin. This photo shows what is likely an Amynthas agrestis jumping worm in Pennsylvania, though its identification is unconfirmed.

Jumping Worms Have Invaded Wisconsin

A wriggling worm is becoming a problem in the Midwest

Evidence (some anecdotal and some clinical) suggests that hookworms could suppress the immune response in people with allergies and other inflammatory diseases.

Can Hookworms Cure Hayfever?

Maybe. But we need to learn a lot more about them before they hit pharmacy shelves

A pelican dives for dinner among an unsuspecting school of fish.

Paper Turtles and Frisky Skates Bring This Indoor Seashore to Life

A new exhibit at the National Aquarium in Baltimore takes visitors on a trip to the beach and into the dark depths of the Atlantic

A scanning electronic microscope image of the 600 million-year-old sponge-like fossil

One of the Oldest Known Animals Is This Tiny, Ancient Sponge

A new fossil find pushes back the start of the evolution of multicellular animals

How to Create a Virtual Organism

Through OpenWorm, scientists are hoping to allow anyone with a computer to unlock the secrets of animal behavior

Sunflower sea stars are just one of 20 species affected.

Meet the Tiny Killer Causing Millions of Sea Stars to Waste Away

The deadly sea star wasting disease, which turns live animals into slimy goop, is caused by a previously unknown virus

An artist's interpretation of what Hallucigenia sparsa looked like.

This Weird, 500 Million-Year-Old Spiky Worm With Legs Actually Has a Descendant

Modern-day velvet worms' jaws are repurposed former claws

This worm is sober.

Worms Can Get Drunk, But Not These Mutant Worms

The gene could also, theoretically, be modified in humans to prevent some of the effects of booze

Jellyfish glow with the flow in the Gulf of Maine and the Weddell Sea.

Bioluminescence: Light Is Much Better, Down Where It’s Wetter

From tracking a giant squid to decoding jellyfish alarms in the Gulf, a depth-defying scientist plunges under the sea

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