Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – a Biology Week Special

MR G.W ROWE

The world of living organisms, shaped over 4.3 billion years by the processes of speciation and natural selection, has produced an almost infinite array of species with fascinating adaptations and ways of life. Yet, many of these species are becoming increasingly threatened by human activity and there is a very real danger of organisms which produce potential cures to debilitating diseases becoming extinct before their formal discovery. Therefore, we as humans, have a huge responsibility on our shoulders to not only marvel at some of the more weird and wonderful forms of life, but to also take action to nurture them and minimize our impact upon the natural environment to ensure their survival.

The aye-aye is a Madagascan nocturnal lemur which fills the same niche as a woodpecker in UK food-webs. They have specially adapted fingers to tap on dead wood detecting grubs and insects – in the same way that submarines use sonar – the insects are then extracted using an extended and hooked finger and eaten for nourishment. Unfortunately, deforestation in their native Madagascar and the erroneous belief that the aye-ayes are evil spirits among local people has led to a plummeting in their numbers. At one stage, the number of aye-aye was estimated at just 9, the estimate turned out to be rather pessimistic and inaccurate however, the long-term survival of the species is still very much in doubt.

The axolotl is another organism with some fascinating adaptations which is in danger of extinction in the wild. Confined to a complex of lakes near Mexico City, the axolotl resembles a juvenile salamander with external gills and cute, Pokémon like looks. They are evolved from a larval form of a salamander which has mutated to reach sexual maturity without going through metamorphosis – like an adult tadpole. Due to pollution from the nearby city and the exploitation of resources resulting in a dramatic lowering of the water table, the long-term survival of the axolotl may depend upon relocation to other areas and captive breeding programs maintaining biodiversity but resulting in extinction in their local habitat.

Several unusual organisms also have a role in developing biological technologies such as A. Victoria and Thermus aquaticus. Both of these creatures have a role in modern genetic technologies. A. Victoria produces a green fluorescent protein (GFP), this can be used in genetic engineering as a marker to see if target genes have been taken up in genetically modified organisms – a technology which allows us to feed an expanding population through inserting disease resistance genes and changing crops to improve their nutrition. GFP can also be used to produce glow in the dark cats if you have approximately a spare £20,000 burning a hole in your wallet. Thermus aquaticus produces a heat-stable DNA polymerase enzyme, something which allows samples of DNA to be amplified, this is fundamental to forensic DNA testing, discovering the genetic basis of human diseases and diagnosing unusual infections in patients. 

This is just a flavor of the weird and unusual organisms which we have discovered and how the huge biodiversity available to us has wide-ranging applications and uses to benefit both science and society. This is one of the reasons why Biology is a fascinating subject and a hugely important growth area for those looking to improve the world for others. While weird and unusual, the variety and biodiversity is a source of awe, wonder and enormous utility to humankind.

By Mr G.W Rowe (Head of Biology)