2023-07-14 21:10:00
Sea snakes have evolved sharper color vision to adapt to their brighter and more colorful marine environment.
An international team of scientists has examined the genetic history of sea snakes and found that the species has enhanced color vision in response to living in brighter and more colorful marine environments.
Genetic duplicators
« Our research revealed that the ringed sea snake has four intact copies of the opsin gene SWS1 said Isaac Rossetto, a doctoral candidate in the School of Biological Sciences atUniversity of Adelaidewho led the study.
« Two of these genes have ancestral ultraviolet sensitivity, and two have evolved into new sensitivity to the longer wavelengths that dominate ocean habitats. »
« Early snakes lost much of their ability to see in color due to their nocturnal lifestyle in burrows. However, their descendants, the sea serpents, now inhabit brighter and spectrally more complex marine environments. We believe that recent gene duplications have greatly expanded the range of colors that sea snakes can see. »
A rare opsin diversification
Many animals have lost opsins throughout their genetic history as they adapted to new habitats, but it is very rare to see opsin gains.
“Humans have a similarly expanded sensitivity to color, while cats and dogs are partially colorblind like those early snakes”said Mr. Rossetto.
« It is quite unique and interesting that these snakes seem to gain and diversify their opsins, while other animals that have made the land-sea transition have done the opposite.. »
Synthetic
This genetic study reveals that sea snakes have developed sharper color vision thanks to the duplication of genes encoding the opsin SWS1. This rare opsin diversification in reptiles demonstrates the species’ adaptation to its more colorful marine environment.
Although opsin loss is common in animals transitioning between two habitats, sea snakes exhibit evolution in the opposite direction.
Functional Duplication of the Short-Wavelength-Sensitive Opsin in Sea Snakes: Evidence for Reexpanded Color Sensitivity Following Ancestral Regression. DOI : 10.1093/moved/evad107
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