Egg-laying mammals, like platypuses and echidnas, have unique stomachs that are smaller than other mammals’. A gene called Nkx3.2 helps explain why their stomachs are different.
This gene was found to be inactive in these animals’ common ancestor, which likely happened tens of millions of years ago. The team discovered this by studying genetic data and physical specimens.
The finding sheds new light on how these animals evolved. Some fish also have similar stomachs, so it’s possible that there’s an ecological factor at play that we haven’t yet identified.
The researchers used genetic analysis to understand how the monotreme stomach evolved and developed in fetal life. The study was published in Open Biology.
The team is passionate about sharing their findings with the public and promoting conservation efforts for these unique species. A better understanding of monotremes can help us appreciate their role in their ecosystems and celebrate their distinctiveness.
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Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-07-egg-laying-mammals-unique.html