bdelloid
DELL-oyd
Definition
A group of microscopic, freshwater rotifers (wheel animals) known for being exclusively female and possessing a high capacity for horizontal gene transfer.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'bdella,' meaning 'leech,' due to the worm-like, creeping movement these organisms use to navigate their environment.
In the news
The article mentions bdelloid rotifers as an exception where certain depolymerase enzyme sequences appear to have originated from fungi or bacteria, likely due to horizontal gene transfer.
A marine worm with no mouth and no gut makes its own enzyme for digesting the bioplastic its skin bacteria build up, and the same kind of enzyme turned up in 66 more animal species across nine phyla, from a sponge to an earthworm to a springtail
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com