Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

The marine worms that can sprout new heads — including brains

Lop off the heads of these ribbon worms, then watch.
Lineus sanguineus at different stages of regeneration, from fragment to complete worm

A ribbon worm (Lineus sanguineus) is shown 4 days after its head was cut off (top left). By 15 days after decapitation (bottom right), its head has regrown. Credit: Eduardo E. Zattara

Many species of marine ribbon worm have gained the power to regrow their heads — an unprecedented example of related animals independently mastering the trick of regeneration.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 567, 149 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00768-9

References

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing

Search

Advanced search

Quick links