Summary:
A tiny creature that forms tiny holes in the bodies of marine worms has been found living in New Zealand waters, according to scientists.

Full article:
Don't call it a comeback, it's been here for years -- millions of years. A sea animal called Protulophila was thought to have been extinct for 4 million years, but has been found living in New Zealand waters. Never heard of Protulophila? It is a tiny animal related to corals and sea anemones, that forms tiny holes on the tubes of marine worms, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. This creature was not known to have lived outside of Europe and the Middle East, but this year, a group of scientists found fossils of Protulophila in New Zealand. These fossils dated to a period when the creatures were thought to be extinct already. So the researchers re-examined some tubeworms that were collected in New Zealand in 2008, and discovered that they had overlooked the Protulophila that was living on them, NIWA said in a news release. Scientists refer to this finding as the discovery of a "living fossil," referring to animals and plants that are so rare they are usually only seen as fossils. "Finding living Protulophila is a rare example of how knowledge of fossils has led to the discovery of living biodiversity," NIWA marine biologist Dennis Gordon said. Scientific institute lists its top 10 newly discovered species .