This video appears to show both sexual reproduction (conjugation) and asexual reproduction (fission or division) occurring AT THE SAME TIME in the organism Amphileptus. I am no expert and welcome comments and explanations for what is happening in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbbKayFrVl8
Conjugation PLUS fission occurring at the same time?
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billporter1456
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billporter1456
- Posts: 502
- Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:00 am
- Location: United States
Finally heard from an expert on this
I finally got a reply from a scientist in China. Among other things, he said, " Not only for you, but for me this phenomenon is totally new and I am shocked! As usual, fission happens after conjugation but not during conjugation. It is quite unusual." This is from a Ph.D. who has been doing taxonomic research on Amphileptus and related ciliates for ten years.
So apparently it hasn't been often recorded or reported. In fact, none of the three experts I was able to contact said they had seen this. I was glad to learn that it wasn't just me who found it unusual.
So apparently it hasn't been often recorded or reported. In fact, none of the three experts I was able to contact said they had seen this. I was glad to learn that it wasn't just me who found it unusual.