Researchers have discovered that a species of daddy longlegs possesses four extra eyes, shedding light on the arachnid’s evolutionary history. The presence of these vestigial organs indicates that this lineage is much older than previously believed, dating back approximately 50 million years earlier than previously estimated. By analyzing vision-related genes and proteins in Phalangium opilio embryos, scientists found evidence of two additional pairs of eyes, in addition to the front-facing pair that the species is born with. Although these extra eyes do not fully develop and lack external indications, molecular analysis revealed their presence. The study also identified vestigial eyes in another species, Iporangaia pustulosa, suggesting that all living daddy longlegs may possess them. This discovery has led researchers to estimate that the group’s last common ancestor lived around 537 million years ago, significantly earlier than previous estimates.
2024-03-14 10:00:00
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