This worm detaches its ass and sends it to look for a sexual partner
In some species of worm, if you cut it between its tail and head, both halves become two distinct worms after they regenerate their lost parts.
Another interesting type of worms called Syllidae, which are also called necklace warms, don’t regenerate when they are cut in half; something cool happens instead when they reproduce.
When these worms grow up and are ready to have babies, a transformation happens in the back part of their body. This transformed back part is called a “stolon,” and it becomes an independent unit that swims around and releases baby-making materials.
Scientists have been curious about how these worms, scientifically known as Megasyllis nipponica, manage to create the stolon.
It’s unclear how the worm undergoes this transformation
Therefore, a team of researchers, led by Professor Toru Miura from the University of Tokyo, decoded the intricate process by studying the gene expression of this aquatic worm found in the Sea of Japan.
After forming the stolon, the original creature is then called the “stock,” and it regrows its back part to make more stolons. These stolons wander off and look for a stolon of the opposite sex to mate with.
Through this experimental study, the researchers also found that stolons have a less complicated digestive system and look different from stocks.
These baby-making units, or stolons, are pretty advanced. They have eyes, antennae, and special bristle-like things for swimming. Scientists think they must have their own little brain and nervous system because they can sense and respond to other stolons around them.
New way of stolonization
In mature female stolons, the ones making eggs, the researchers could actually see the eggs through their bodies. The mature male stolons, the ones making sperm, looked more yellowish.
They looked at the specific regions of the necklace worm’s body where genes called “Anterior Hox genes” stayed active in the front part of the body throughout the process of producing stolons. The ones called “Posterior Hox genes” stayed active in the back part.
So, the study seems to suggest that the activity of these genes stays in an orderly sort of way along the body, even when the sea creatures are making these special baby units.
Scientists suggested that over a really long time, as these sea creatures evolved, they changed the way their bodies developed. Maybe they borrowed some traits from their old ancestors, like being really good at turning into a swimming form for making babies or being great at growing back body parts, which helped them develop this new way of stolonization.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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This worm detaches its ass and sends it to look for a sexual partner