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Mushroom-Like Deep Sea Organism May Be New Branch of Life
jones_supa writes: During a scientific cruise in 1986, scientists collected organisms at water depths of 400m and 1,000m on the south-east Australian continental slope, near Tasmania. But the two types of mushroom-shaped organisms were recognized only recently, after sorting of the bulk samples collected during the expedition. A team of scientists at the University of Copenhagen says the tiny organism does not fit into any of the known subdivisions of the animal kingdom. The organisms are described in the academic journal PLOS ONE. The authors of the paper recognise two new species of mushroom-shaped animal: Dendrogramma enigmatica and Dendrogramma discoides. Measuring only a few millimeters in size, the animals consist of a flattened disc and a stalk with a mouth on the end. One way to resolve the question surrounding Dendrogramma's affinities would be to examine its DNA, but new specimens will need to be found. The team's paper calls for researchers around the world to keep an eye out for other examples.
Not so much "new" as "we need more samples"
I'm hungry. Anybody have good recipe for one of these critters?
deserve's got nothing to do with it...
Jim but not as we know it.
From the looks of things this "branch of life" has probably been around for millions of years, perhaps closer to a billion years or even more.
It's even slightly yellow in the middle.
I'm glad they found a new species but why did it take them so long? If they did the original collections in 1986, why has it taken 28 years for them to sort through the deep-see critters they collected?
And what if these were the last two specimens ?
Aliens.
Have gnu, will travel.
H.P. Lovecraft...anyone..lol
They don't seem to be related.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/p...
Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. (Isaac Asimov)
These creatures are described by the author as Animalia, Metazoa incertae sedis, that means, they are members of the animal kingdom, but of of uncertain placement within that kingdom.
They are NOT a "new branch of life".
The six kingdoms of life will not be adding a new kingdom on the discovery of these 2.
Let's hope not.
This is a reminder that the current taxonomy should be retired and replaced with a DNA-driven scheme. This will happen when the US goes metric and FEMA sends blankets to Hades.
.....a new type of penis.
I disagree. I think we should have both taxonomic schemes, one based on morphology and one based on genetics, each cross-linked to each other. I think there is an interesting picture to be portrayed when you have both and can start making connections between morphology and genetics.
our collected in the 80's deep sea shroom overlords and I for one look forward to getting high by licking them.
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
Looks like a sea pansy. I wonder how much it differs.
Could be a penis.
"Measuring only a few millimeters in size," Did you lose yours?
Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
Sure sounds like something I have growing in my fridge. :)
FTA:
What we can say about these organisms is that they do not belong with the bilateria.
When I look at the photos, they seem to have rough bilateral symmetry.
"Oh fuck, not another phylum!"
Can we cultivate it on diapers?
Branch is a very specific technical term referring only to kingdom level divergence in the tree then, is it?
I am still astonished that biologist seemingly mostly are like "jeah, that somehow looks like a bird, lets put it in the same tree" instead of rigorously DNA-testing the shit out of everything.