Scientists at Lund University in Sweden have unraveled a mystery that explains why female blue-tailed damsel bugs exhibit such strange color changes, with one species even able to mimic the male. Imagine, these little guys have been playing “pretend” for five million years!
First, let’s get to know the blue-tailed damsel. Here’s a really cool thing about these little insects: the females aren’t just one color, they come in three! One of the colors can even make them look male, which is a huge plus for them because it prevents them from being overly harassed. Yes, you heard right, this is nature’s “anti-harassment” tactic!
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The Lund University team published the research in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. By sequencing the DNA of three color forms of female blue-tailed damselflies, they discovered that the origins of these color changes date back at least five million years and are due to several mutations in a specific genetic region on chromosome 13. mutation secondary.
You may ask: what does all this mean for us? Well, it’s not just about the color of the bridesmaid. This study provides insights into how genetic diversity is maintained over time, which is important for evolutionary biology, population genetics, and conservation biology. This helps us understand how species adapt to rapidly changing environments.
Caused by mutations on chromosome 13
Advertisement (Continue reading this article) The Negal damselfish is a species in which the female has two forms: one (we call it type O) is completely different from the male in appearance and resembles a blue-tailed damselfish; one type (type A) imitates the male. Scientists performed some high-tech DNA analysis. They compared the DNA sequences of these damselflies, in particular a specific region on their 13th chromosome. They found that within this region, type A females of both damselfly species have some unique DNA sequences that allow them to mimic the appearance of males. Furthermore, this region is rich in so-called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), which are fundamental for producing differences between the different female forms. (Photo/”Ecology and natural evolution”)
In the future, scientists plan to further explore how this gene influences male damselflies and other characteristics of their aquatic larval stage. Studies like this will help us better understand the evolution of not only the blue-tailed dragonfly, but the entire dragonfly genus across different regions and species. These little guys are found throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and North and South America!
Erik Svensson, a biology professor who led the study, said the insect’s color changes not only fascinate the public but have also spurred research on color signals and their evolutionary consequences on mate choice and intersexual conflict . It seems that the world of these little insects is more complex and exciting than we imagined.
The results of this study not only reveal how this unique biological feature has been preserved in the long process of evolution, but also illustrate the balancing effect of natural selection. In other words, it’s like a fashion show carefully designed by nature, where each participant has their own unique outfit to face the challenges of survival.
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First image source: Bob Peterson cc By4.0
Image source: Nature Ecology & Evolutioncc By4.0
Reference documents:
1. Genomics and evolution of intersexual mimicry and female-limited polymorphisms in dameselflyNature Ecology & Evolution
Further reading:
1. A rare “hermaphrodite” green bee appears in Colombia.
2024-01-19 13:56:19
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