Mutant clownfish reveals how nature draws boundaries (phys.org)

submitted 1 week ago by supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz to c/biodiversity@mander.xyz

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cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/40308

In 1999, a clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) hatched in the aquarium of a tropical fish hobbyist in the UK. These clownfish are prized by aquarists for their unique pattern of three straight white bars bordered by a thin black line. But this UK fish was special: instead of the usual straight bars, it had wavy, corrugated patterns, symmetrical on both sides. The patterns were inherited across generations, leading to a lineage named "Snowflake," but the mechanism causing this irregular patterning remained a mystery.

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this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2026

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Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery.

Over generations, all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them distinct from other species. These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are considered different species. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species. Read more...

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