Sea slug with detachable penis, wows scientists!

It's not enough that the salacious sea slug, Chromodoris reticulata (G. reticulata), is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, but Japanese researchers have just found out that this species can detach and regrow itself a new penis.  

Although it is not the only species to lose or detach its penis after sex, but as far as researchers can determine, C. reticulata, is the only species that can regenerate its own penis, and within 24 hours! Their penises, have spines on them, and it may be that the first penis serves as a survival mechanism by removing any previous competitor's sperm. The second penis can then inject its sperm insuring that their genes are being passed on.  To read more about this amazing animal, go HERE.

New Special Exhibit at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Image credit: Shutterstock, Jon Milnes

Mollusks: Shelled Masters of the Marine Realm

This special exhibit explores the amazing diversity and history of mollusks—snails, clams, squid and other invertebrates that comprise almost a quarter of all known marine species. There are more different species of mollusks than there are vertebrates. Scientists estimate the number between 2 million and 100 million.

The exhibit features the research of Professor Gonzalo Giribet, colleagues and students at Harvard University, and the Dept. of Malacology at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, this new exhibition engages the general public in mollusk evolution, ecology, and the many ways in which their lives intersect with ours. To find out more go HERE

Can Black Abalone Make A Comeback?

With their populations spread too far apart now to reproduce white abalone is nearly extinct, but black abalone may have a chance at a come back. There is evidence of successful reproduction in some black abalone colonies on the Channel Islands, giving researchers hope that they eventually can be restored in parts of the region.

The National Marine Fisheries Service recently formed a task force to save the black abalone, which was listed as federally endangered in 2009. A recovery plan is expected in about two years, though scientists said it’s complicated by poaching in the United States, limited harvest enforcement in Mexico and the potential that climate change will speed the spread of disease in the population. 

 Photo: David Witting/NOAA

Read more HERE

European Commission warns of 'alarming decline' in biodiversity

Antonio Ruiz/ CMA-Junta de Andalusia

Iberus gualtieranus, land snail

Water pollution, overfishing, habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species are all responsible for the decline of aquatic species in Europe, according to the new research, conducted with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Some 44 percent of all freshwater mollusks, 37 percent of freshwater fish, and 23 percent of amphibians are now under threat, it found.

Animals that live near and depend on the increasingly dirty and receding sources of water have also suffered. About 20 percent of terrestrial mollusks, 19 percent of reptiles, 15 percent of both mammals and dragonflies and 13 percent of birds are also threatened, the research showed. 

Read more HERE

Snail Gives Birth After Surviving Bird's Digestive Tract

 Land snail  recently survived being eaten by birds
 (Image Credit:Jurgen Schoner)

  

New research from Japan shows that snails can survive being eaten by birds. During a study in Japan, over 174 land snails (Tornatellides boeningi) were fed to two bird species that have a taste for snails: the Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) and the brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis). "14.3 percent and 16.4 percent of the snails, respectively, passed through the gut alive," the researchers wrote, adding that one snail even gave birth to juveniles after being pushed out  in the bird's droppings.

Read more at Discovery News

Mussels Alert Russian Water Authorities to Radiation Levels

Russian water authorities in Vladivostok have long used freshwater mussels in their filtration plant to detect heavy metal pollution. But now they are using them to monitor radiation levels coming from the reactor accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.  The highly sensitive Unionidae mussels close their shells as soon as they encounter contaminants in the water, triggering special electronic sensors that alert operators, the agency said.

"The biomonitoring system works well," saidTamara Rozhkova, chief scientist at Primorsky Vodokanal. "The advantage over traditional monitoring is that the mollusks check the quality of the water constantly and can send signals to the operator in real time."

photo: courtesy of science punk

Noise Pollution May Lead to Death for Cephlapods

According to a new study in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment finds that even low intensity noise can severely injure cephalopods, which include octopus, squid, and cuttlefish. The injuries are bad enough to possibly lead to stranding and death.  "This is the first study indicating a severe impact on invertebrates, an extended group of marine species that are not known to rely on sound for living," says Michel André, Technical University of Catalonia in Barcelona.

Read more at Mongabay or go to Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment to read André's, abstract.

Not Your Great-grandfather's Snuff Box!

Evolution is an amazing thing. Freshwater mussels need a host fish to help carry on their species; and they have evolved quite a variety of lures, and behaviors to trick that special fish, into carrying its larvae (glochidia).  One of more interesting and just short of lethal behaviors belongs to the Epioblasma. The commonly called Snuffbox mussel for example says it all. 

See it in action capturing its host fish, the logperch (Percina caprodes), HERE.

photo: MC Barnhart

And HERE is another fascinating look at different mussel adaptations used to lure their specific host fish; and a look at a great mussel conservation program going on in Missouri.

CONE SNAIL VENOM FOUND TO BLOCK NICOTINE CRAVINGS

Florida scientist, Dr. Christopher Armishaw, has found that one particular class of molecules - alpha-conotoxins - from the beautiful but deadly marine cone snails, can block the action of nicotine in the brain. He also found that by tweaking isolated molecules from the venomous snail, new drugs can be developed to treat withdrawal symptoms and reduce the negative side effects posed by current anti-smoking drugs. Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death in North America.

Armishaw who began his research in nicotine addiction three years ago with Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, is an assistant member in medicinal chemistry. In addition to looking at new drugs for nicotine addiction, his lab is developing novel research tools and drugs for studying pain management, depression and drug addiction.

Brazilian Federal Judge Halts Building of the World's Largest Dam.

Federal judge, Ronald Desterro, has blocked the building of the Belo Monte dam in the Amazon rainforest; and barred the national development bank, BNDES, from funding the project. Citing environmental concerns, Judge Desterro said the project has not met the environmental requirements to build the dam.

A staggering 11,000-megawatts, the highly controversial Belo Monte dam would be the largest hydro-electric dam in the world. If built, environmentalists say the 6km (3.7 miles) dam will threaten the survival of a number of indigenous groups and could make some 50,000 people homeless, as 500 sq km (190 sq miles) of land would be flooded.

Read complete story HERE.