To the Greek, the Amazons where a mythical ancient nation consisting of females only. According to BBC News, scientists from the University of Edinburgh now believe that the Amazon Mollies – who also live in this type of all-female societies – might occasionally grab some DNA from males of other species to avoid the problems linked to cloning. Just like the ancient Amazons who, according to the Greek, visited a nearby tribe to engage in sexual activity with men once a year, the Amazon Mollies does interact with males – but only males from other species and only to trigger cloning. According to the researchers, the Amazon Molly has survived for 70,000 years without engaging in normal sexual reproduction.

Interestingly enough, the Amazon Mollies interact with males of other species and there are no male Amazon Mollies to be found. This interaction with male fish seems to be required to trigger spawning in the females. According to the scientists at Edinburgh University, the females might also occasionally use some DNA from the males just to refresh their gene pool a bit and avoid the typical problems linked to cloning.

The Amazon Molly does not live in the Amazon region of South America; this species is instead found in north-eastern Mexico and south-eastern Texas, U.S. where they typically interact with males belonging to the species Poecilia latipinna, Poecilia latipunctata, Poecilia mexicana and Poecilia sphenops.

You can read more about the Amazon Mollies and their mesmerizing reproductive methods at BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7360770.stm

The Edinburgh-led study was carried out in collaboration with Dr Dunja Lamatsch at the University of Wuerzburg, now at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The research is published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.

picture provided by cocoa_pleco of the AC

The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) have developed a new way of determining which of the coral reefs are at highest risk against climate change effects, and which reefs have the greatest potential for conservation success. Each Year, for the past 30 years, 5.4% of the coral reefs are devastated by bleaching due to climate changes. The primary cause of coral bleaching is high water temperature (global warming).

For the coral reefs, a temperature increase of only 1.5°C that lasts for six to eight weeks will trigger coral bleaching; and if those high temperatures continue beyond the eight week mark, the coral begins to die off. While high water temperatures is not the only reason for coral bleaching; which can also be caused by disease, pollutants, or changes in salinity; high temperature bleaching is the greatest concern because it effects coral on a global scale as opposed to a small isolated section of coral suffering from a different bleaching cause.

The WCS and ITC model uses a collection of data from reefs, including: temperature, ultraviolet lights, winds, currents, and the concentration of microscopic plankton on the surface of the ocean to determine the most troubled reefs, and reefs with the most hope to survive with conservation.

To read the entire article and find what areas in the Indian Ocean are worst, and best, for the reefs visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416165732.htm 

To read more on reef bleaching and conservation efforts in the Great Barrier Reefs visit the website for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park website at: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site

Imperator angelfish – Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

Colour in fish is probably an advanced for of communication, according to Professor David Bellwood of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University, Queensland. In an article in Telegraph.co.uk, Professor Bellwood shares his knowledge about fossil specimens of reef fish from Monte Bolca, Italy. By studying these prehistoric fishes, Professor Bellwood was able to determine that spotted and striped fishes have been swimming in our oceans for at least 50 million years. According to Professor Bellwood, it is probable that they also were very colourful.

So, why would a fish devote so much energy to the development of vivid colours and attractive patterns? According to Professor Bellwood, the look of a fish might be a way for fishes to communicate with each other. It can for instance be used to broadcast status in a pecking order or find a suitable mate. Colours and patterns can also be used to send out disinformation, e.g. in order to confuse predators. A dark spot near the end of the tail can for instance cause a predator to attack the tail instead of going for the real head of the fish. This type of fake eye is not a new thing in the kingdom of fishes; it appears on million year old fish fossils.

“Bright colouring is clearly a highly successful trait. The odd thing is that mammals, including humans, appear to have lost it.” says Professor Bellwood.

You can learn more about the secret language of fish here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/02/20/scifish120.xml