Invertebrate
Yoda purpurata
Yoda purpurataAlso known as Yoda Acorn Worm
Named for the broad, ear-like lateral lips on either side of its proboscis, Yoda purpurata drifts gently across the abyssal plains of the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike shallow-water acorn worms that spend their lives burrowed beneath sediment, this deep-sea hemichordate maintains a buoyant, epibenthic existence, crawling across soft mud or riding deep ocean currents. Its vivid reddish-purple coloration and gelatinous body represent specialized evolutionary adaptations to surviving extreme pressures and perpetual darkness miles beneath the surface.
Deep SeaAbyssalBenthic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMarine snow, Benthic micro-organisms, Organic detritus
Predators
- Grenadier fish
- Deep-sea sea stars
- Benthic decapod crustaceans
ThreatsDeep-sea mining exploration and climate-driven ocean warming
HabitatsAbyssal seafloor and Mid-Atlantic Ridge sediment plains
Life spanUnknown; estimated several years
Classification
- FamilyTorquaratoridae
- SpeciesYoda purpurata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- ROV Exploration: Observe drifting individuals via high-definition deep-sea submersible cameras.
- Track Identification: Look for sinusoidal trails across abyssal mud where individuals have fed.
Predator Thomas Linley / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableFamily Relative Family Relative Distant Relative
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