ancient snail relative found
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

From the mouths of molluscs

Ancient snail relative found

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleAncient snail relative found

Two snails cross a wooden veranda in Oberbeuren
Paris - AFP

Two snails cross a wooden veranda in Oberbeuren Paris - AFP Fossils of toothy, slug-like creatures that grazed the sea floor 500 million years ago have shed light on the origins of modern-day snails, shellfish and squid, a study said Wednesday. The most comprehensive analysis yet of the ancient slugs\' mouth parts -- multiple rows of teeth that moved in conveyor-belt fashion, showed they were related to present day molluscs, scientists wrote in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Dubbed Wiwaxia and Odontogriphus, the slugs\' place on the evolution ladder has been in contention for decades -- whether they were early molluscs, relatives of the earthworm, or a completely different species that died out. Using new microscope technology, Martin Smith, a graduate student at the University of Toronto\'s department of evolutionary biology, found they shared a feeding mechanism with today\'s molluscs. \"Their mouthparts are... the closest thing that we have to the radula, the conveyor-belt-like feeding apparatus found in almost all molluscs today,\" he told AFP. \"My new reinterpretation of their \'teeth\' shows that they represented early molluscs.\" Molluscs, which also include octopuses, mussels and oysters, are the second-biggest animal group, yet little has been known about their early evolution. Odontogriphus, whose name means \"toothed riddle\" in Greek, was a naked slug that grew up to 15 centimetres (six inches) long, while tiny Wiwaxia, between 1 millimetre and 5 cm, was covered with spines and scales. The invertebrate fossils come from the Burgess Shale Formation in the Canadian province of British Columbia, deposited there during the Middle Cambrian period about 505 million years ago. To study the remains, Smith used an electron microscope which has a resolution about a thousand times better than that of a light microscope, \"so you see loads more detail\" of the mouth parts. It has only recently become possible to put large fossils in electron microscopes without damaging them. The researcher concluded that the mouths of Wiwaxia and Odontogriphus had two to three rows of 17-33 teeth of a similar size, with a symmetrical central tooth and more, smaller teeth on the edges. The teeth would have moved around a tongue in the same way as those of both plant- and meat-eating molluscs today, scooping algae and organic waste from a muddy sea floor. \"I don\'t see how you can doubt that they are molluscs any more,\" said Smith. What is not clear is whether these fossils were the direct ancestors of today\'s molluscs. There were likely several similar-looking species living alongside Wiwaxia and Odontogriphus, but since species cannot interbreed, only one could have given rise to the snails and slugs we know today. \"It\'s possible that Odontogriphus or Wiwaxia was this species, but it\'s more likely that they were very close relatives -- offshoots from the lineage that would have led to all molluscs,\" said Smith.

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

GMT 09:00 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Hong Kong engulfed in smog

GMT 06:52 2018 Friday ,19 January

Six dead as huge storms batter Europe

GMT 07:02 2018 Thursday ,18 January

China says Iranian oil tanker wreck located

GMT 07:46 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Philippines' Mayon volcano alert raised

GMT 08:14 2018 Sunday ,14 January

Fossil fuels blown away by wind

GMT 10:36 2018 Friday ,12 January

Race to save Indonesian croc stricken

GMT 08:07 2018 Wednesday ,10 January

Philippines to protest over China activity

GMT 08:56 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Bacteria makes blue jeans green
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

ancient snail relative found ancient snail relative found

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:32 2011 Monday ,25 July

Sabri accuses Yusri in Souad Hosni’s murder

GMT 12:07 2014 Monday ,03 February

Home design ideas

GMT 11:20 2017 Thursday ,02 March

Mexico central bank cuts growth outlook over Trump

GMT 08:31 2017 Tuesday ,28 November

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for 139 soldiers

GMT 14:33 2017 Thursday ,20 April

US defense secretary vows support for Egypt's Sisi

GMT 16:12 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Myanmar bars UN rights investigator just before visit

GMT 08:21 2017 Wednesday ,30 August

United Technologies near deal to buy Rockwell Collins

GMT 18:27 2017 Friday ,21 April

ARCO condemns targeting of ERC convoy in Somalia
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle