﻿ Centipede Genes Offer Evolutionary Clues

Centipede Genes Offer Evolutionary Clues


Centipedes, those many-legged creatures that startle us in our homes and gardens, have been genetically sequenced for the first time. In a new study in the journal PLoS Biology, an international team of over 100 scientists today reveals how this humble arthropod’s DNA gave them new insight into how life developed on our planet.


According to Prof. Ariel Chipman, senior co-author of the study and project leader at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, the genetic data reveal how the creatures transitioned from their original dwelling-place in the sea to living on land.

“The use of different evolutionary solutions to similar problems shows that myriapods and insects adapted to dry land independently of each other,” said Chipman. “For example, comparing the centipede and insect genomes shows that they independently evolved different solutions to the same problem shared by all land-dwelling creatures — that of living in dry air.”


In addition, Chipman said, this specific group of centipedes lives underground and has lost their eyes, together with almost all vision genes and genes involved in the body’s internal clock. Instead, they maintain enhanced sensory capabilities enabling them to recognize their environment and capture prey.


In explaining the purpose of the research, Hebrew University's Chipman said: "If we have a better understanding of the biological world around us, how it operates, and how it came to be as it is, we will ultimately have a better understanding of ourselves.” According to Chipman, the research will have applications for other researchers ranging from conservation to dealing with crop pests.