Look Alike Animals Could be Different Species
New Light on Species that Resemble Each Other but Differ
Apr 24, 2009
Researchers from the Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden headed by Professor Christer Erséus have come up with some startling findings about species that look alike but are in fact totally different species. The new finding is bound to create ripples in the scientific circles and could have widespread implications for biology. Seemingly identical animals on the outside turned out to be completely different species.
The subject chosen for the study by the Gothenburg team was the common segmented worm, commonly known as black worm. It was a detailed study of DNA of black worm that threw up the fact that there indeed are two different species. This also means giving such DNA tests to other animals may overturn current perceptions about biodiversity.
Old Perceptions Go Overboard
The two different species of black worms have been treated as one since they were first described in the annals of science. It had been given the zoological name Lumbriculus variegates. In nature they are also found together in freshwater environments of North America, Sweden and the rest of Europe quite unnoticed till Professor Erséus decide to have a closer look at them on a hunch. The Professor found that the two look-alike worms differed genetically by an astonishing 17 percent. This is twice as much as humans differ from chimpanzees. The discovery shakes the very foundations of genetics and is going to have large-scale implications on the study of species in future. This augurs well for the future of science.
What it Means For Biodiversity
A delighted Professor Erséus says his discovery means there could be ten times as many species on earth, compared with what scientists had previously thought. The perception of the earth's biodiversity itself may need to be given a rethink against this new backdrop. Large numbers of species might have gone undiscovered till now because they resemble other known species.
Experiments Could Have Gone Awry
The segmented worms are frequently used for laboratory testing around the world, to examine the effects of environmental toxins. Species differ in terms of their tolerance towards certain toxins. The discovery of two distinct species of segmented worms means a fresh look is needed at what scientists have been doing so far. The whole experiments may need to be revised against the backdrop of the new findings.
Naming the New Species
The new species of worm has not yet been given a name, since researchers have not yet decided which of the two will keep the old name. The research results are being published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
References
Daniel R. Gustafsson, David A. Price, Christer Erséus. Genetic variation in the popular lab worm Lumbriculus variegatus (Annelida: Clitellata: Lumbriculidae) reveals cryptic speciation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2009; 51 (2): 182 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2008.12.016
