A team of international researchers, led by Kei Jokura at the University of Exter, has made an astonishing discovery about comb jellies (Ctenophores). These ocean creatures have an unreal capability, they can easily combine with each other to form a completely functional, unified individual.
The discovery happened unexpectedly when some of the researchers in the UK came across a two-butted, large individual in the group of sea walnuts (Mnemiopsis leidyi). This chance finding led to further investigations which revealed the fact that comb jellies hold the capacity to fuse together. Scientists said that along with the nervous systems, digestive systems also integrate allowing them to function as an independent single organism. In an interview with ScienceAlert, Jokura said “I was surprised when the muscle contractions of the fused comb jellies became synchronized.”
Ctenophores are interesting creatures, not just because of their capacity to merge but also because of their unique biology and history. Some of the fascinating facts about comb jellies include:
- They are part of an ancient group of animals such that their ancestors were considered potential candidates for being the first multicellular organisms.
- As the name suggests, comb jellies have a jelly-like structure, but they are not related to true jellyfish.
- They are known for their shimmering, rainbow-refracting tentacles.
- These creatures can be found at various ocean depths from the surface to the deep sea.
- They have a size range from a few millimeters to around 1.5 meters.
One of the most conspiring facts about Ctenophores is their fusion ability which suggests that the biological mechanism most animals use to distinguish ‘self’ from ‘non-self’ called allorecognition is absent in these organisms. This is why they can merge with another organism without any hindrance.
Jokura carried out this study based onprevious studies, which have shown that sea walnut (a species of comb jellies) tissues can easily fuse together. The team tested this strange phenomenon by injuring several sea walnuts, cutting their side lobes and keeping them in pairs overnight. The next morning, they got astounding results: nine out of ten pairs of jellies had merged to form single bodies, confirming their assumptions.
Initiallyeach jelly in the fused pairs moved separately. But, within two hours, most of their muscle movements synchronized indicating that their simple nervous systems, called nerve nets, had completely fused and were now functioning as one.
This discovery led researchers to theorize about the survivalbenefits this merging capability offers to the comb jellies in their natural environment. “One possible advantage is that fusion allows for a much faster recovery from injury compared to regeneration.”, Jokura told ScienceAlert in an interview. After fusion, comb jellies may repair injuries more effectively, ensuring their chances of survival in harsh ocean environments.
Scientists are now eager to explore the mechanisms that allow comb jellies to fuse the neural activities of two individual organisms into one. “Unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying this fusion could advance these crucial research areas.”Jokura said in a press release
This discovery has uncovered the unique biology of Ctenophores and has shed light on the biological processes of tissue fusion and its advantages for the organism.
The findings of this research work were recently published in the journal of Current Biology marking a significant contribution to the recent research on the freakishly cool comb jellies.
Copyright @smorescience. All rights reserved. Do not copy, cite, publish, or distribute this content without permission.
