Nature Knows 04 - Bdelloid Rotifers Comments

While man prides himself that he has discovered the ‘newest thing' about Bdelloid Rotifers, he forgets the Nature ‘invented' it millions of years ago. Thank you LeeAnn.

My mother used to tell us that Nature created everything, even the lowliest grass weed with a purpose. Now I understand. Thank you Becca

When Nature endowed Man with a larger brain, She gave some other powers to other animals and plants. So that man can learn and make use of such interesting and useful phenomena

Bdelloid Rotifers feed on bacteria, fungii etc. Unlike other animals, they "steal" some useful genes from such ‘food' and make them part of their genetics, often slightly modified.

A simple solution invented by nature to protect the most vulnerable microscopic animals. Thus they have survived over 25 million years on earth, without much evolutionary advantage

Thank you Sandra. Bdelloidea (leech) is a class of rotifers found in freshwater habitats all over the world. There are over 450 species of bdelloid rotifers distinguished from each other mainly on the basis of morphology.

Rotifers are noted for exclusively parthenogenetic reproduction and the ability to survive in dry, harsh environments by entering a state of dormancy (anhydrobiosis) at any life stage. They are often referred to as 'ancient asexuals'