In the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, the gusano grande is awakening from its home. Its home is made of rocks in the Mariana Trench.

            To start its day, or night, the gusano grande swims over to all of its peers already digging into some rock. This gusano grande is late waking up today and is late to breakfast. It must dig into the rock about 100 feet with its knife-like teeth to find the mud to eat. But, there is only so much mud for all of the gusanos grandes to eat. There is limited supply and many gusanos grandes die each day of starvation. So, it must dig fast. That is not a problem with this particular gusano grande because this one is an adult with the sharper teeth of anyone else. Its day begins with laborious work.

After digging far enough, it finds the mud and scoops up enough to fill its entire 2 foot long body. It boils the mud in its urgla for digestion. The digested mud comes out of its rear end and falls back down to the bottom of the trench. After about 24 hours it will turn into rock and make the rock under it turn into mud. After it is done eating, it is time for an exciting day. Or night.

            The gusano grande does not know if it is day or night in the Mariana Trench because it is pitch-black. But, the gusano grande has a special eye that gives it light to see and sense where its predators are. It can sense when an attack is coming, too. When it senses an attack it will scoop up rock bits and shoot them at the predator.

            The first thing the gusano grande does after it eats is help out any babies called gusano pequeño. Since these babies are only 1 millimeter in length and there are thousands born every night, they need someone else to feed them until their teeth become big and sharp enough. The babies start out with just a weak shell and blurred vision. As they get older through the “days” they start to get teeth coming in, spikes growing on their back, get a strong shell, and get stronger senses. They grow to be about 2 feet long as an adult. Most gusandos grandes don’t live to be that big and strong.