Mod. 11: The Judgmental Shoelace is a Cryptic Species



With the recent and ongoing revolution of DNA sequencing technology, more and more species are able to be identified down to the genetic level. However, cryptic species have begun to reveal themselves through this readily available genetic information. Researchers, Pfenninger and Schwenk from Germany discovered that cryptic species are found in equal proportions across all major branches of the animal kingdom. This leads to the conclusion that there could be a multitude more species than we previously thought.

Just last year, for example, an article was published by researchers in India studying the genus Ahaetulla, a type of peninsular Indian vine snake. Yes, this is the judgemental shoelace snake. (Do not boop, or you will get the hurt juice).



When the first species of kind of vine snake, described by Linnaeus, was discovered, all the vine snakes in that region were thought to be part of a single species. However, as time drew on, the discovery of three additional species were added to the genus after 40 years (in 1827). In 2020 researchers from India worked to conduct extensive toxon sampling, whole genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and species determination of their sampled vine snakes. Samples were taken from the Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, Laos, and central India, indicating a widely distributed range for the Ahaetulla included species. Following their study, five additional species in the genus (to only 6 previously) were discovered including A.sahyadrensis, A. malabarica, A. farnsworthi, A. borealis, and A. travancorica. As you can see from this phylogenetic analysis below, many of the snakes look very similar, so it is easy to see how they may have been mistaken for the same species before whole genome sequencing could have been done. Given that the number of known species in the Ahaetulla genus nearly doubled after this study really puts in perspective just how much we don't know about life on Earth and how many species are left undiscovered through their cryptic ways of blending in.


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345358620_Disentangling_vines_a_study_of_morphological_crypsis_and_genetic_divergence_in_vine_snakes_Squamata_Colubridae_Ahaetulla_with_the_description_of_five_new_species_from_Peninsular_India

Comments

  1. Kaitlyn ChappelNovember 10, 2021 at 12:04 PM

    Hi Caroline! First off, I love your memes and pictures! It certainly wasn't what I expected opening this up today so I really enjoyed the boost of amusement and happiness on this rainy day. I really appreciate you discussing cryptic species and having the notion that we have really underestimated what all is out there in the world. Since we just finished discussing this in class yesterday, I appreciate the example and visuals to help build my knowledge and understanding of cryptic species. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bryce KidwellNovember 11, 2021 at 9:54 AM

    I always appreciate seeing a judgmental shoelace. I never really thought about how many species aren't discovered yet just because they've been misplaced into a different species just because they look alike until this week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. KathrynNovember 14, 2021 at 5:22 PM

    I think your meme and your post are both amazing! I really enjoy when information is conveyed in a humorous, yet educational way! I always love all your input and this post is no exception.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction

Image
Hello everyone, My name is Caroline Gatschet and I was born and raised in Topeka, KS; although, I did spend a lot of my time in Manhattan visiting family growing up. I am currently a senior at KSU studying cellular and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. Following my undergraduate schooling, I hope to pursue a research career in the field of astrobiology, studying the biochemistry of extremophile microbes and their potential connection to discovering life elsewhere in the universe. In terms of passions, a lifetime of continuous learning is undoubtedly something I strive for, aspiring to never become stagnant in my education. I am into everything outdoors from fishing and kayaking to hiking and horseback riding. Hopefully, I will be able to find a fieldwork-heavy research lab to join in graduate school to combine those two passions. Biology, to me, strives to answer some of humanity's biggest fundamental questions: What defines life? Where did life come from and how? How di...
Read more

Evolution - Evidence - Entropy

Evolution is the result of a combination of several mechanisms which eventually contribute to changes in the genomes of a species. The most compelling and perhaps most well-known mechanism for evolution is natural selection in which certain mutations are "selected" for by the environment. Random traits are either beneficial or deleterious and eventually, the most advantageous traits will be passed down through generations eventually becoming more common in a population. Other key mechanisms include macro and microevolution, genetic drift, speciation, and notably, mutation. It's important to consider the significance of the environment and its role in interacting with mutations to drive evolution as a whole. Lastly, genetics, the figurative blueprint of life, is at the very core of evolution. The smallest alteration in a nucleotide or sequence has the potential to change the evolutionary course of an entire species. Prior to Tuesday's discussion, I would have had the p...
Read more