The first animals to fly on Earth may have highly evolved wings from gills.
A team of researchers from the Czech Republic and Germany analyzed prehistoric fossils of flying insects from around 300 million years ago and identified very similar wing- and gill-like structures.
The discovery suggests that some of the first winged insects were aquatic or semi-aquatic as larvae, a finding that solves one of the biggest mysteries plaguing evolutionary biologists today. That could help us figure out where insects get their wings.
“While our fossils certainly do not represent the ancestors of winged insects, they were larvae, and adults of this group already had fully functional wings, but still relatively It’s an ancient group of insects.” explain Pavel Sroka, an entomologist at the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS).
“The fact that larvae of other ancient insect taxa, such as mayflies and dragonflies, are also aquatic supports the possibility that aquatic environments played an important role very early in the evolution of winged insects. ”
Clearly, creatures in the sky are a world apart from those in the water, but in the evolutionary timeline of insects, there appears to be an invisible thread connecting the two habitats.
Historically, most discussions about winged insects have been thought their ancestors were earthlingsHowever, recent genetic and fossil evidence suggests that the first insects may have resembled aquatic or semi-aquatic crustaceans.
In this way, one virtual root Some suggest that insect wings evolved from limb-like appendages, while others think they evolved from gill-like appendages.
These competing theories are “Flying squirrel” theory and “flying fish” theorybut sometimes, Third hypothesis Fusion of leg and gill structures contributes to wing evolution – A strange squirrel-fish hybrid, if you will.
The problem with proving either theory correct is that fossils of ancient insects are extremely rare.Furthermore, it is often assumed The way these creatures grew as larvae is thought to be indicative of their evolution, even though there is little evidence to suggest this is the case.
Nevertheless, Supporting genetic research We show that both the gills and wings of juvenile mayflies share a similar developmental origin.
Today, modern crustaceans breathe with exoskeletons, while the larvae of mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, and other insects associated with aquatic habitats. breathe through abdominal gills.
Now, fossil analysis of insect larvae that are about 300 million years old suggests how these structures became wings.
Fossils of insects showing various stages of development have been discovered in rock formations in Germany that are about 300 million years old.
As a larva, this creature looks a little like a trilobite. At such an early developmental stage, the species called Catosaxoniapteron browneri, have margins, or “flaps” of lateral growth, and appear adapted to an aquatic life. Both the upper and lower flaps are very similar and show filiform papillae associated with respiration.
However, as adults, the flaps closest to the head turn into wings.
![insect larva wings](https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2024/01/ENverze_Vznik-kridel-hmyzu-2023_InfografikaBC-642x351.png)
Sloka and his team claim Their results “strongly support the idea that wings evolved from ancestral gill precursors.”
“The first form of a flattened thoracic protrusion gave rise to posterior wings and may have originated as an organ for breathing.” To tell Sloka.
However, more evidence is needed to prove this hypothesis, and it is still in its early stages.scientists Noticed Genetically speaking, insects and crustaceans are closely related.
The ecology of this ancient aquatic insect remains an unsolved mystery.
This researchcommunication biology.