The Silver Ink

Saturday, January 16, 2021
Log in
  • United States & World
  • Techie
  • Business & Company News
  • Discovery
  • Lifestyle

Pages

  • About The Silver Ink
  • Advertising
  • Contact US
  • Investor Relations
  • Our Team
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Sec Disclosure
  • Terms of Use

Recent Posts

  • David The Puzzle Man Butler Uses His Newfound Hobby to Help Community June 29, 2018
  • Diamond Thief Arrested in Chicago Days After Stealing $133,000 Worth of Precious Stones June 29, 2018
  • Colorado Goth Metal Band Founder Stabs Homeless Person to Death in Back Alley June 28, 2018
  • Irate South Carolina Woman Cusses Out Black Teens at Pool, Assaults Sheriff’s Deputy June 27, 2018
  • Georgia Couple Arrested For Keeping Mentally Challenged Daughter Locked Inside Room for Months June 27, 2018
  • Washington Man Paralyzed After Run-in With Gun-Toting Carjacker June 26, 2018
  • Autistic Boy Admitted to Emergency Room After Being Impaled By A Plank of Wood June 25, 2018

Sex Change In Snails Is Made Possible Just Through Simple Touch

December 27, 2015 By Stephanie James Leave a Comment

"bunch of snails"

Snails are one of the most widespread animals on Earth, with thousands of species and sub-species on land and water.

It is not entirely surprising that some animals may change their sex in accordance with their environment or age, in order to further drive the species further. But the recent discovery made at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found something rather intriguing by noticing that sex change in snails is made possible just through simple touch.

The snail in question is the Crepidula marginalis, commonly known as the slipper snail, a little sea slug that inhabits shallow shore regions or intertidal areas. Its “slipper” denomination stems from the shape of its shell, presenting a tiny little shelf-like out groove on its shell. It feeds on plankton and other similar particles found in its sea environment.

Slipper snails live in large numbers across the shallow shoreline, but can sometimes be found in just groups of three. The female snail, which is larger in size, carries two male snails on its back due to the fact that male slugs are slower than their female counterpart.

In regards to sex change, it was believed that snails switch from male to female when affected by various factors from the environment at a certain age. But by making further inquiries on the subject, the Smithsonian scientists found out that by simply touching another male, a slipper snail will undergo a complex process, turning it into a female.

The experiment consisted of two groups comprised of two male snails, put in different tanks. One group was granted permission to touch one another while the other was separated through the use of a permeable barrier that allowed pheromones and other elements to pass through it. In the second tank, no change was seen.

But in the first one, the larger male snail underwent a sex change after touching the other one. Even if the larger specimen was the first to switch to female, its smaller counterpart was also suffering the same modifications, but at a much slower rate. This happens because due to its large size, the now female snail is able to house much more eggs in comparison to a smaller version. The tinier snails remain male for a longer period of time because they consume less energy when producing sperm if compared to larger male specimens.

What is rather surprising is the fact that chemical signals were not sent at all through the barrier. This was considered to be the way through which the process of sex change is started, because the snails remain relatively stationary throughout their life, and have an extremely poor eye-sight.

Slipper snails are not the only animals that undergo this sex change in order to boost population numbers. Coral reef fish, for example, use visual, chemical and behavioral cues to signal one another when a male or female is required in the group. Nonetheless, these fish still retain the same size-related factors present in snails, with larger subjects being the first to switch to female.

Even if the study showed how sex change in snails is made possible just through simple touch, researchers now want to find the exact chemical clues that snails tell one another regarding their size and the most beneficial time to undergo said change. This will be harder to discover, due to the fact that these chemical signals are sent only through touch-based interactions. Compared to when these signals are released in the surrounding environment, researchers have to keep an exact reading on when the process is actually started so that they can remove the specimen and extract chemical samples from its skin.

Image source:www.pixabay.com

Filed Under: Science Tagged With: chemical cues, coral fish schools, larger female size, pheromone trigger, sea snail, Sex Change In Snails Is Made Possible Just Through Simple Touch, slipper snail, smaller male size

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 24 other subscribers

first humans who arrived in North America

First Humans Arrived In North America 10000 Years Earlier

January 17, 2017 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

gold coin

Rare Gold Coin Found In a Toy Pirate Treasure

October 27, 2016 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

clothing material

Air conditioning could be replaced with clothing material that keeps you cool

September 2, 2016 By Carrie Davis Leave a Comment

proxima centauri star

Scientific Breakthrough – Habitable Planet near Proxima Centauri

August 27, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

USS independence

Deep Sea Exploration Of World War II Vessel

August 23, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

statue of Zeus

Ancient Zeus Sacrifice Skeleton Found In Greece

August 12, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

white robot

Robot Exoskeleton Could Improve Life Of The Disabled

August 11, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Bird Fossil Holds Answers to Life After Dinosaurs

October 30, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Polar Bears Are Slowly Dying Due to Climate Change

September 17, 2015 By Stephanie James Leave a Comment

Study Shows Birds Also Fall in Love

September 15, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

Man-made Climate Change Produces the Highest Temperatures Ever

September 14, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Researchers Discover Why Sweetgrass Is An Efficient Insect Repellent

August 19, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

The Drinkable Book Could Be The Easiest Way To Clean Water

August 18, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

Study Reveals Venomous Frogs Are More Dangerous Than Pit Vipers

August 8, 2015 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Categories

  • Automotive & Aviation Industry
  • Business & Company
  • Capital Markets
  • Discovery
  • entertainment
  • Health
  • IT & Diversified Sector
  • Lifestyle
  • Nature
  • Science
  • Techie
  • Uncategorized
  • United States & World
  • World

Copyright © 2021 thesilverink.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.