Comb jellyfish
While studying a species of comb jelly nicknamed "sea walnut", a team of American scientists discovered the species' "alien" abilities.
"I'm extremely excited," The Guardian newspaper on October 7 quoted the report's co-author, Dr. Oscar Arenas of the University of California at Berkeley (USA).
According to a report published in the journal Current Biology , the team of experts was surprised to see a strange-looking creature inside a laboratory tank containing comb jellyfish.
When observing, they discovered a strange creature with 2 backs, 2 mouths and other features never seen before.
"This led us to wonder if this was the result of two separate organisms coming together," said Dr. Arenas. They attempted to find out by replicating the results in the lab.
His team took pairs of “sea walnuts,” collected from different locations and times. They removed a body part from each pair. Next, two individuals from each pair were tied together overnight with the injured parts touching.
The results showed that in 9 out of 10 cases, the two individuals had mated.
Upon further observation, the researchers found that the fusion process occurred within hours in the lab dish.
Comb jellies are recognized as among the strangest creatures on Earth. "They are aliens in the marine environment," according to The New York Times , quoting neuroscientist Leonid Moroz of the Whitney Laboratory in Florida (USA).
These aliens belong to the oldest branch of the animal family tree. About 700 million years ago, they split from the ancestors of all other living things and have since followed a unique evolutionary path.
Previous research has shown that comb jellies have developed a distinct nervous system, as well as unusual muscles and digestive tracts, not to mention two anuses. And Dr. Arenas's report reveals another "alien" ability of this species.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bat-ngo-truong-hop-hai-sinh-vat-ngoai-hanh-tinh-ket-hop-thanh-mot-185241008113137662.htm
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