Many would guess that the Great Salt Lake is too salty to support life, but Thomas Murray, a senior biology major at the University of Utah, is studying microscopic worms known as nematodes, one of only three known lineages of animals that inhabit the Great Salt Lake.
Nematodes are a phylum of animals that are usually about a millimeter in length and only a few micrometers in diameter. They can be found all over the world, from Antarctica to vents in the deep sea. Finding them in the South Arm of the Great Salt Lake was unexpected, however, due to its high salinity of up to 19% in some parts, compared to 3% salinity in the ocean. Murray and his lab have documented that nematodes survive at 14% salinity, which is higher than previously expected.
In 2022, Murray joined a lab that investigated these worms. He co-authored a species description paper that was published in 2025 identifying a specific nematode endemic to the lake. After collecting the nematodes, they sequenced a singular gene to discover its genus. In order to confirm their hypothesis, Murray photographed the specimen while noting its physical traits and measurements. Then, utilizing data from past nematode taxonomists, they compiled similar measurement averages and compared them. They confirmed their genus based on the gene sequence analysis and characteristics key. Finally, they looked at the genus and found all of the described species and compared the measurements.
The lab is currently culturing the worms and sequencing their full genomes to understand how they survive in extreme salt conditions and how they interact with and affect the lake’s ecosystem. As conversation efforts surrounding the Great Salt Lake grow, Murray’s research reveals that even microscopic life plays an important role in understanding and protecting this unique environment.
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