Photo Credit: A. Polilov
There has been a lot of buzz about this miniscule insect this week after a publication by Alexey Polilov demonstrated that the fairy wasp's nervous system operates with only 5% of the nucleated neurons of similar species. As you can see from the picture, which is on a 200 micron scale, the wasp is as tiny as some unicellular organisms such as the paramecium and the amoeba. The study showed that in order to exist as such a tiny multicellular creature, some structural sacrifices must be made. Thus, the loss of the nuclei from the nerve cells. This aquatic wasp is so incredibly tiny that it lays its eggs inside the eggs of other insects that also live in ponds. For more on this tiny creature, read Ed Yong's overview of this paper at Discover Blogs.
wow! :O awesome, and awesome blog too :)
ReplyDeleteDiscover. No Y.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. My mistake.
ReplyDeleteApparently there is also a question as to whether or not these are indeed fairy wasps. Any entomologists with the correct answer? Ed Yong has already changed his article.
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