Animals that seem identical may be completely different species.Byline: ANI Washington, April 23 (ANI): In a new research, scientists used DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. analyses to discover that one of the most common segmented worms is actually two types of worm, leading to the hypothesis that animals that seem identical may belong to completely different species. The research, by scientists at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, suggests that the variety of species on the earth could be considerably larger than we thought. "We could be talking about a large number of species that have existed undiscovered because they resemble other known species," said Professor Christer Erseus. The segmented worms that were studied by Christer Erseus, doctoral student Daniel Gustavsson and their American colleague, are identical in appearance. From the very first time that they were described, they have been treated as the same species, and they are also found together in freshwater fresh·wa·ter adj. 1. Of, relating to, living in, or consisting of water that is not salty: freshwater fish; freshwater lakes. 2. Situated away from the sea; inland. 3. environments in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , Sweden and the rest of Europe. But when the researchers examined the worms using advanced methods for DNA analysis DNA analysis Any technique used to analyze genes and DNA. See Chromosome walking, DNA fingerprinting, Footprinting, In situ hybridization, Jeffries' probe, Jumping libraries, PCR, RFLP analysis, Southern blot hybridization. , they discovered that they were in fact two different species. Both species of worm differ in one of the examined genes by 17 percent, which is twice as much as the equivalent difference between humans and chimpanzees. The research results could have major consequences. For example, the worms are frequently used for laboratory testing around the world, to examine the effects of environmental toxins. "Different species have different characteristics. If it emerged that these two species differ in terms of their tolerance towards certain toxins, then it could be difficult to make comparisons between different studies," said Christer Erseus. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Erseus, as this advanced DNA technology is tested increasingly within various animal groups, it could mean that our perception of the earth's biodiversity biodiversity: see biological diversity. biodiversity Quantity of plant and animal species found in a given environment. Sometimes habitat diversity (the variety of places where organisms live) and genetic diversity (the variety of traits expressed may need to be revised. "There could be ten times as many species in total, compared with what we previously thought," he said. (ANI) Copyright 2009 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency. (ANI) - All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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