Sea slug surprise: It’s half-plant, half-animal

[-Lp]

Check this out..


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34824610/ns/technology_and_science-science/?GT1=43001

[HomaridNoob6]

Interesting to say the least. I loved the tone of the article, so funny how they keep saying stealing, burglarizing, and contraband in reference to the slugs getting genes and chloroplasts from algae they eat.

[speakerpedal]

So does this mean that slug actually contain cells with the correct DNA to produce its own food? or is this some form of symbiosis? This is still pretty damn cool though. :19:

[Amazon]

The slug can pass the DNA tothe next generation therefore it actually contains the real cells of the plants, not just symbiosis.:22:


quote from article

The researchers used a radioactive tracer to be sure that the slugs are actually producing the chlorophyll themselves, as opposed to just stealing the ready-made pigment from algae. In fact, the slugs incorporate the genetic material so well, they pass it on to further generations of slugs.

[Wild Turkey]

Very interesting to say the least

Thanks for posting!:19:

[annageckos]

The artical also says that they can't produce the chlorophyll untill they eat enough algea. Here is the quote below.

The babies of thieving slugs retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can't carry out photosynthesis until they've eaten enough algae to steal the necessary chloroplasts, which they can't yet produce on their own.