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SDG-ENGAGED UNIVERSITY

NEW DEEP-SEA TUBEWORM NAMED AFTER UWI SCIENTIST

For the first time, a deep-sea species has been named after a marine scientist from Trinidad and Tobago. The tubeworm, Lamelli- brachia judigobini, is so called in honour of Caribbean ma- rine ecologist, Professor Judith Gobin, Professor of Marine Biology at the St. Augustine Campus.

The international team of scientists, led by Dr. Magdalena Georgieva of the Natural History Muse- um in London, UK, and which included local marine biologist, Dr. Diva Amon, chose to celebrate Profes- sor Gobin for her many important contributions to marine science.

Lamellibrachia judigobini inhabits deep-sea cold seeps and hydrothermal vents stretching from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to the Gulf of Mexico at depths from 964 to 3,304 metres.

It is possibly also present at the Kick ‘em Jenny submarine volcano off the island of Grenada.

The new species, which can grow to over one metre long, was collected by Remotely Operated Vehicle during several deep-sea exploratory mis- sions stretching from 2012 to 2014.