Study finds adaptive molecular convergence common in distant jellyfish relatives
Researchers from four US universities report that identical genetic changes occurred in jellyfish lineages separated by over 600 million years.
Genetic changes found across deep time
A new study reconstructs sections of ancient jellyfish genomes to track evolutionary history. Scientists identified identical genomic shifts in multiple species that diverged more than 600 million years ago. These findings suggest the process is not as rare as earlier assumptions indicated.
Link between genes and traits unclear
The observed genetic similarities were largely unassociated with similar physical traits in these animals. This suggests a complex relationship exists between genomic changes and phenotypic convergence. The research team published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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