Super Gecko- Geckolepis megalepis can shed its skin and scales with ease
A new species of gecko called Geckolepis megalepis has been
discovered in Madagascar. This species is unlike any other. For starters, its
massive scales are the largest found among any known gecko species. What truly
separates these geckos from all others is their efficient ability in shedding
their scales. The Geckolepis megalepis belongs to a group of geckos called
fish-scale geckos. Fish-scale geckos have unique scales that are attached loosely
to their skin. The skin layer underneath the scales rips easily and regenerates
in a matter of weeks. Their scale morphology and their unusual skin allows them
to shed their scales when they are gripped tightly. This comes in handy in
life-threatening situations. All that the predators are left with is an unsatisfying
wad of skin and scales. Unlike other fish-skin geckos, Geckolepis megalepis
can shed their scales at the faintest of touches. This is most likely due to their
large scales. Repeatedly growing such massive scales is a large metabolic risk but the benefit of escaping predators outweighs it. Talk about taking evasive maneuvers to another level.
Their unique morphology makes it a challenge for them to be captured and studied by scientists. Studying them could lead to breakthroughs in medical research if the processes behind how their skin regenerates with no scarring is discovered. From this knowledge, new techniques could be devised to lessen or even eliminate scarring during skin repair in humans.
Posted by: Leah DeLorenzo (1)
Source of Articles and Pictures: http://www.livescience.com/57786-new-gecko-species-disposable-skin.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170207092733.htm
Their unique morphology makes it a challenge for them to be captured and studied by scientists. Studying them could lead to breakthroughs in medical research if the processes behind how their skin regenerates with no scarring is discovered. From this knowledge, new techniques could be devised to lessen or even eliminate scarring during skin repair in humans.
Posted by: Leah DeLorenzo (1)
Source of Articles and Pictures: http://www.livescience.com/57786-new-gecko-species-disposable-skin.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170207092733.htm
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ReplyDeleteThis is super cool! I've always been a fan of the evolution of animals, and this is something quite new. It just makes me wonder how this adaptation evolved, though there are probably hundreds of possibilities for how it happened since much research hasn't been conducted on them. It definitely requires a lot of energy to constantly grow out these massive scales frequently. What type of diet/energy source do these geckos have to stay alive?
ReplyDeletePosted by Natalie Nou
This is a very interesting discovery! If it takes several weeks for the scales to regenerate, what do the geckos do in the meantime? Since they already lost the scales they would probably try to avoid any other life threatening situations, but then how do they obtain food? Also, the ability of skin regeneration without scarring would be particularly useful for humans if scientists can somehow get more information on this amazing gecko.
ReplyDeletePosted by Sierra Tyrol
When this gecko loses its scales it is left completely vulnerable. You would think that leaving a layer of skin exposed like that would compromise the health of the animal, but it does not. Like Caitlin had mentioned after they escape death they seek a place that shields them from the elements and from potential predators. Hypothesizing, I would think that they would get food from the surrounding area exerting as little energy as possible or maybe they could survive with no food source at all. Further research must be done to truly know. I also found that scientists think that their skin and scales grow back in a matter of weeks from stem cells from deeper layers of connective tissue. This could also be valuable medicinally. Posted by Leah DeLorenzo (1)
DeleteThis was very interesting animal to learn about because I had no idea something like this existed before today! This topic sort of ties in to what I'm learning in my Intro Ecology class about trade-offs between organisms life history traits. A trade-off is when an organism puts its energy and resources into one structure or function at the expense of another. This gecko is making a trade-off by putting all of its metabolic energy into shedding and growing its scales, regardless of what other functions that energy could be used for. This trade-off is worth it for the gecko because it works, and the species survives. It's helpful to see other real-life examples about how these trade-offs work. I'm also curious if this species of gecko can still shed its tail if threatened? It would seem that losing a tail and scales would cost a lot of energy to grow back at once.
ReplyDeletePosted by Jordan Milone
After doing some more research I found that these geckos also have the ability of losing their tail when threatened. They share this ability with many other lizards. It is interesting looking at this from an evolutionary perspective that they both have the ability to drop their tail as well as their skin and scales. As you said they would definitely be expending a lot of energy growing both their skin and tail back. It will be interesting to see what further research on these geckos shows.
DeletePosted by Leah DeLorenzo (1)
In response to Sierra, I did a little more research on this “Super Gecko”, in the meantime they do they to avoid all other life threatening situations. After they rip their scales/skin off to escape a predator, they are left naked, soft and slimy. They typically find a dark and damp place to hind until their scaled regenerate in 2 to 3 weeks. The cost to reproduce all their huge scales again is again consumes a great deal of time and resources. So, in the 2 to 3 weeks it takes to regenerate their scales, do they depend on previously eaten food, or consume insects in the dark and damp place they are hiding?
ReplyDeletePosted by Caitlin Lohr
This species of gecko was really interesting to read about because I’ve never heard of another species being able to do what this species can do! It makes you really appreciate the vast diversity that exists in this world and the ability of species to adapt and survive in their environments. Looking at the last picture, it looks like they must shed a lot of their scales when escaping predators. In addition, the skin underneath the scales looks slippery which if that’s the case, their slippery skin might also play a role in helping them escape predators.
ReplyDeletePosted by: Katie Kossack
What scientists found is that their unusually large scales helps them shed their skin so easily. The large scales are attached to their skin by a very fine attachment which makes any pressure applied to them cause them to fall off. Scientists also believe that these geckos can control the release of their scales. They contract a layer of connective tissue beneath their skin that causes the scales to fall off. The skin that is left behind does not bleed since the blood vessels are constricted simultaneously.It will be interesting to see them study the skin that is left behind, as you said it probably also plays a role in the effortless shedding of their skin and scales. Source: http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-gecko-scales-20170207-story.html Posted by Leah DeLorenzo(1)
DeleteMaybe she's born with it, maybe it's embeline. Sorry. But in my quest for better skin, I've become acquainted with far too many brands promising to deliver, only to fall short. So you'll have to take my word for it when I tell you that Fish-Skin Gecko™ really works! It's simple, I just reach into the little terrarium I keep in the medicine cabinet and grab the little guy, then I liberally rub the lizard all over my freshly cleaned face and moisturize. All I have to do is toss him a few mealworms and he's good to go; quid pro quo am I right folks? But let me tell you, the results? Amazing. Dermatologists hate him. Say goodbye to rolling, ice-pick, and boxcar scars with this one weird trick.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my Flinstones-meets-RuPaul fantasy land will probably be cut short by the hordes of lobbyists for the (multi-billion dollar) cosmetic industry that would inevitably suffer huge profit losses at the hands of a scar treatment reverse engineered from this little guy.
Posted by Owen Mulledy