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When its life is threatened, it can literally rejuvenate. This is no myth, but a scientifically documented reality, recently published in a new study on bioRxiv.
Researchers took interest in this organism because, when facing unfavorable conditions, it can regress to its larval state. This rare and surprising ability makes it one of just three known animal species capable of rejuvenating after reaching adulthood.
Unlike other species, such as the "immortal jellyfish" or a specific tapeworm, Mnemiopsis leidyi can metamorphose into a larva. Scientists discovered that this regression allows it to grow two tentacles, which are useful for capturing food, thereby ensuring its survival.
Originally from the western Atlantic, Mnemiopsis leidyi has crossed oceans carried in ship ballasts. Now present in Europe and Asia, it is contributing to the decline of local fisheries. Its incredible resilience continues to fascinate researchers.
Scientists conducted experiments to understand this unique ability. By depriving some jellyfish of food and amputating parts of others, they observed that the jellyfish suddenly shrank, though they did not die. When food was reintroduced, some returned to their larval form and resumed growing.
The study showed that these jellyfish literally "reborn" with two tentacles, using this form to capture microscopic prey that they could not catch in their adult form. Researchers believe this ability could explain the species' successful invasion.
However, this form of rejuvenation is still debated within the scientific community. Yoshinori Hasegawa, a Japanese zoologist, notes that the jellyfish may simply be shrinking without truly reversing aging. Nevertheless, this discovery paves the way for further research.
This biological time-travel remains far from fully understood, but it shows that nature still holds many secrets to uncover.