Scientists Find Mystery Worm in Great Salt Lake

Scientists have found a brand new species of worm living in one of North America's saltiest places, and nobody knows how it got there.

The microscopic roundworm, discovered in Utah's Great Salt Lake, is only the third type of animal ever found surviving in the lake's harsh, super-salty water. The other two are brine shrimp and brine flies, which feed millions of migratory birds each year.

University of Utah biology professor Michael Werner led the team that identified the species. They worked with the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation to choose a meaningful name: Diplolaimelloides woaabi, using the Indigenous word "Wo'aabi" meaning "worm."

The discovery happened in 2022 when researcher Julie Jung found the tiny creatures while kayaking and biking across the lake collecting samples. She was studying microbialites, the hardened mound-like structures formed by microbes on the lakebed.

"We thought that this was probably a new species of nematode from the beginning, but it took three years of additional work to taxonomically confirm that suspicion," said Jung, now a professor at Weber State University.

The finding gets even more interesting. Genetic testing suggests there might be a second unknown worm species living in the lake too.

Why This Inspires

These resilient little worms represent something bigger than their microscopic size suggests. They're survivors in one of Earth's harshest environments, thriving where few creatures can.

The mystery of how they arrived has scientists buzzing with theories. The closest related species lives in coastal Mongolia, thousands of miles away. The Great Salt Lake sits 4,200 feet above sea level and 800 miles from any ocean.

One possibility: the worms have lived in Utah for millions of years, surviving since the Cretaceous Period when the area was part of an ancient inland sea. Another theory suggests birds might have transported them across continents over time.

Understanding these hardy creatures could help scientists monitor the lake's health as it faces rapid environmental changes. As one of only three animals able to call this extreme environment home, the worms serve as tiny indicators of how the ecosystem is doing.

The discovery reminds us that even in places we think we know well, nature still has surprises waiting to be found.