A showcase of evolutionarily designed sensory organs is revealed through high-resolution images of the head of the exclusively cave-dwelling blind salamander, Proteus anguinus. The proteus is an evolutionary masterpiece of an unusual set of adaptions for surviving in lightless caves. Even its physical appearance is unique, to the extent that locals in the 1600s believed it was a baby dragon. The research here, carried out by an international collaboration led by Czech scientists Jozef Kaiser and Markéta Tesařová, was aimed at gaining detailed information about these unusual evolutionary changes. The scientists used X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) scans to produce stunning 3D reconstructions of the soft tissue in the head of the proteus, allowing them to directly view the extensive changes that have occurred in the salamander over time. The research has been published in the journal GigaScience.
Click here for original story, 3D imaging of mysterious cave-dwelling salamander reveals adaptations for life in the dark
Source: Phys.org