Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO)’s Post

Dive into the fascinating journey of jellyfish evolution in our latest feature on NY Weekly! 🌊🔍 Explore the ancient origins and remarkable adaptations of these mesmerizing creatures through the ages. Gain insights into their pivotal role in marine ecosystems and their unique biological characteristics. Whether you're a marine biologist, nature enthusiast, or curious mind, discover the secrets of these ocean marvels and their enduring legacy. #JellyfishEvolution #MarineBiology #NatureScience #OceanLife https://lnkd.in/d-XmAAjT

🐙 The Piglet Squid: A Deep-Sea Enigma 🐙 Residing in the mesopelagic zone, between 300 to 1000 meters below the ocean surface, the Piglet Squid(Helicocranchia pfefferi) is a fascinating yet elusive species of deep-sea cephalopod. Its unique morphology and mysterious lifestyle make it a subject of intrigue for marine biologists and oceanographers. Here are key features and scientific insights into this remarkable species 🔽 🌊 Adapted to the Deep: The Piglet Squid thrives in the mesopelagic zone, often referred to as the "twilight zone" of the ocean. To survive in this extreme environment, the squid’s gelatinous, balloon-like body reduces its density, helping it to remain buoyant in the water column. 💡 Bioluminescence: Like many deep-sea organisms, H. pfefferi is equipped with photophores—light-producing organs that enable it to blend with the faint light filtering down from the surface. This bioluminescence is likely a form of counter-illumination camouflage, helping it evade predators that hunt from below. 🔍 Morphology: What gives the Piglet Squid its distinctive, "piglet-like" appearance is its compact, rounded mantle and its tentacles, which are often spread out in a fan-like manner. Its small, disproportionately large eyes and upward-pointing tentacles contribute to the illusion of a smiling face. 🤔 Behavioral Mysteries: Despite several deep-sea observations via remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), much about H. pfefferi’s life remains unknown. Its floating, head-down posture is believed to help with feeding and locomotion in the water column, but specific feeding patterns, reproductive behavior, and lifecycle are largely unstudied due to the squid’s inaccessible habitat. 🌍 Ecosystem Role: Like other cephalopods, the Piglet Squid plays a role in the deep-sea food web, likely preying on smaller organisms such as zooplankton and serving as prey for larger predators, including deep-diving marine mammals and fish. Credit to MBARI for the amazing video! #Science #MarineBiology #Education #Ocean

In this paper, we present a highly integrative approach for understanding the high diversity of the insect pest, whiteflies, present in nature.

Out in @The_InnovationJ! Respiratory protein-driven selectivity during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. In this study, Song et al. show that O2-carrying capacity played a key role in extinction selectivity during the Permian-Triassic transition, favoring the preferential survival of animals with hemoglobin and hemocyanin, which subsequently dominated the Mesozoic Evolutionary Fauna. Read more https://lnkd.in/erEXcauB #Researchpaper #Evolution #research #innovation

🌊🐠 Did you know that some of the most threatened reef fish are also the least studied and known by the public? 🐟 A recent study led by a CNRS researcher and published in Science Advances reveals that our attention is often diverted towards fish with commercial or aesthetic appeal, leaving many vulnerable species overlooked. 🔬 Scientists tend to focus on species with commercial value, while the public is drawn to the stunning looks of fish like the red lionfish (Pterois volitans) and the mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus). But what about the other 2,408 species of marine reef fish that need our attention? Let's spread awareness about these overlooked beauties and ensure we give all reef fish the attention they deserve! 🌟 #MarineLife #ReefConservation #SaveTheReefs #Biodiversity

THREE IN ONE! As an ecologist trained in North American and Asia, and a lifelong birder who birded in four continents, I was stunned when I first saw a picture of a Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens). I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my first breeding male- that iridescent bright blue plumage is unparalleled by many bright birds I have seen before. The latest research (Kearns et al. 2024) says it is actually three species. A nuclear DNA analysis across the complete range of this bird supports three genetically and phenotypically distinct groups suggesting three different species. These findings offer us our own endemic Splendid fairywren in Western Australia. If you want to learn more about fairywrens and be a part of a citizen science project on fairywrens consider contributing to Fairywren Project.  https://lnkd.in/gAZvgK22 As a side note, this bright blue bird is not really blue. The colour blue in birds is a “structural colour” which is not produced by a blue pigment.  It is created by the way light waves interact with the feathers and the arrangement of keratin molecules, and our eyes perceive it as colour blue!!! Image credit: Kearns et al. 2024 https://lnkd.in/g92wwZZp #traceenterprises #fairywrens #bluewrens #australianbirds #citizenscience #birdingaustralia

"𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝: 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧" #AnimalScience #BlueBlood #MarineBiology #NatureFacts Have you ever wondered why some animals have blue-colored blood? It's a fascinating aspect of biology that sets certain marine creatures apart. Unlike humans, whose blood is red due to iron-based hemoglobin, these animals possess a copper-based protein called hemocyanin. When hemocyanin binds with oxygen, it turns blue, which is why the blood of these creatures appears blue. This adaptation is particularly beneficial for surviving in low-oxygen environments, such as deep ocean waters where these animals often live. Hemocyanin is more efficient at transporting oxygen in cold environments with low oxygen levels, providing a vital advantage for creatures like octopuses, squids, and some crustaceans. This unique evolutionary trait highlights the incredible diversity of life and how different species have evolved unique mechanisms to thrive in their specific habitats. Nature never ceases to amaze with its ingenious solutions and adaptations. 👉 If you like my content, reshare, like, comment and Follow me Sunil Taneja . This will motivate me to create more informative content. I regularly post about the latest innovations in medical devices and medical equipment. Check out my other posts here: https://lnkd.in/dw8Sr5yf Video credits: Hashem Al-Ghaili #DidYouKnow #ScienceExplained #WildlifeWonder #Hemocyanin #BiologyBuzz #NatureIsAmazing #Curiosity #DiscoverScience #OceanLife #MarineCreatures #Evolution #UniqueAdaptations

https://lnkd.in/ek-ncKqK Complex life forms may have originated 1.5 billion years earlier than thought, study finds Strange life forms likely died before they could spread globally, scientists suspect. Complex life forms might have originated on Earth’s oceans about 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought, according to a new study. Complex life forms might have originated on Earth’s oceans about 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought, according to a new study. Previous studies suggest animal life did not emerge on Earth until around 635 million years ago, mainly constrained by the availability of the element phosphorous. Then in the Ediacaran era, about 635 million to 541 million years ago soft-bodied animal-like life forms emerged as dissolved sea water phosphorous concentration increased following intense global tectonic activities. The latest research, published in the journal Precambrian Research, however, claims to have found likely signs of complex animal life beginning even as early as 2.1 billion years ago.

Great Newsweek article on Colossal Biosciences (world's 1st De-Extinction company) "bringing the Woolly Mammoth back to life", written by Co-Founder & CEO Ben Lamm and Head of Biological Sciences Eriona Hysolli. Colossal Biosciences is addressing our planet's #EXTINCTION crisis... Inspired by the pioneering genome research of Co-Founder & Harvard University/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor George Church. QUOTE: "We could lose up to 50% of all biodiversity between now and 2050, so we are building technologies that could rewild extinct animals into ecosystems, propelling us towards the goals of conservation groups, and helping human longevity and health care along the way." Mammoth calves will be born in 2028... Tasmanian Tiger and Dodo Bird de-extinction is also in the works! https://lnkd.in/e5rhNGBD

Bioluminescence in the deep sea serves as a vital communication and survival mechanism among marine invertebrates, facilitating complex behaviors such as predation, mating, and territorial defense. In this obscure environment, devoid of sunlight, organisms like the anglerfish ingeniously use bioluminescent lures to attract and capture prey, enhancing their predatory efficiency. Similarly, deep-sea squids may emit bursts of light to disorient predators, using bioluminescence as a defensive tactic to escape threats. Beyond predation, bioluminescence is crucial for reproductive communication; species like ostracods emit distinctive light patterns to attract mates, utilizing the light to signal their location and readiness for reproduction.Territorial behavior is also marked by bioluminescent displays, with jellyfish and similar species using light to deter rivals from their feeding territories. This mode of communication is essential for maintaining the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, where visual cues are scarce. Moreover, bioluminescence aids in species-specific identification, helping organisms to recognize members of their own species in the vast ocean, thus facilitating more effective social interactions.Sea stars, although less frequently associated with bioluminescence, display this trait under stress or when threatened, possibly as a warning signal of environmental dangers or as a deterrent against predators. The crown-of-thorns starfish, for example, exhibits bioluminescence during periods of stress, highlighting the adaptive nature of this phenomenon. The ability of these organisms to use light emission for navigation or to signal distress underscores the evolutionary sophistication and ecological significance of bioluminescence in navigating the challenging conditions of the deep-sea environment. This multifunctional trait not only enhances the survival of individual species but also contributes to the biodiversity and operational dynamics of marine ecosystems. #bioluminescence #marine #marinebiodiscoverycentre #marinebiodiscovery #deepsea #deepocean #starfish #seastars #nature #science #deep #sea #ocean #jellyfish #darkdeepsea #earth #chemistry #communication #deepseainvertebrates #microorganisms Teresinha Aguiar