The warty comb jelly, Mnemiopsis leidyi, has some fascinating biological traits, including regeneration and the ability to de-age itself into its larval stage after dealing with stress or trauma. Researchers at Norway’s University of Bergen discovered this unique ability in a study published in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”
The study found that when adult comb jellies were starved or injured, their bodies would shrink and redevelop into their larval stage. This process allowed them to survive by mimicking their younger selves. The researchers tracked 65 adult warty comb jellies for two weeks after isolating them from food, and 13 of the specimens had reverted back to their larval state.
The study also found that physical trauma could trigger this de-aging process even faster. Six of the 15 specimens that underwent extensive physical trauma redeveloped into their larval stage in just 15 days, compared to six weeks for the remaining specimens. The researchers believe this finding could lead to important discoveries about the molecular mechanisms driving reverse development and the plasticity of developmental processes in these creatures.
This study is a fascinating look at how some species can manipulate their age, similar to the “immortal jellyfish” Turritopsis dohrnii. However, unlike other examples of de-aging in nature, M. leidyi’s ability is actively used for survival rather than being a default life cycle quirk.
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a62843977/comb-jelly-reverse-age/