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Mollusks

All articles tagged with #mollusks

science1 year ago

Heart Cockles' Shell Windows Illuminate Symbiotic Algae

Researchers from the University of Chicago, Stanford, and Duke have discovered that heart cockles, a type of bivalve mollusk, have transparent windows in their shells that allow light to reach symbiotic algae living inside. These windows, made from aragonite, focus light using bundled fiber optic structures, enhancing photosynthesis while blocking harmful UV rays. This natural design could inspire more cost-effective artificial fiber optic cables. The study was published in Nature Communications.

via Phys.org|
#fiber-optics#marine-biology#mollusks
biologyevolution1 year ago

"Unraveling the Enigma of the Sea Creature with Eyes Across Its Shell"

Researchers have discovered that chitons, small marine mollusks, evolved eyes on four separate occasions, resulting in two distinct visual systems. Some chitons have thousands of eyes embedded in their shells, while others have smaller eyespots. The study, led by evolutionary biologist Rebecca Varney, found that the different visual systems evolved independently and in quick succession, with some groups developing similar structures despite being distant relatives. The number of slits in the chiton's shell plates appears to influence the complexity of their visual systems. Ongoing research aims to understand how these structures process visual information.

via ScienceAlert|
#biologyevolution#chitons#evolution
science1 year ago

"Insights from Mollusk Eyes: Uncovering Evolution's Dependence on the Past"

The visual systems of chitons, a type of marine mollusk, provide a rare natural example of path-dependent evolution, where a lineage's history shapes its future evolutionary trajectory. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara discovered that the type of eye a chiton lineage had was determined by the number of slits in its shell armor, representing a real-world example of path-dependent evolution. This finding challenges the traditional understanding of evolutionary progression and highlights the impact of history on the future of a particular trait.

via Quanta Magazine|
#chitons#evolution#mollusks
science2 years ago

"Discovery of New Semi-Slug Species by Citizen Scientists in Brunei Forest"

A new species of semi-slug, Microparmarion sallehi, has been discovered in the lowland forests of Brunei with the help of citizen scientists. Semi-slugs, also known as "snugs," have shells on their backs but they are too small for the mollusks to retreat inside. The discovery of this new species suggests that evolution is still a work in progress, as it is one of just two known species of semi-slug to be found in lowland forests rather than mountainous ones. The new species was named after the team's field center supervisor, who was due to retire a few weeks after their project was finished.

via IFLScience|
#biodiversity#citizen-science#evolution