"THE IMMORTAL FISH"

"TURRITOPSIS DOHRINI"

image by project mania

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Binomial Name: Turritopsis dohrnii (Weismann, 1883)
• Family: Oceaniidae
• Begins as a free-swimming larva known as a planula.
• Polyps can reproduce asexually, forming new medusae (jellyfish).
• Under stress, mature medusae can revert to the polyp stage through a process called transdifferentiation.
• The ability to revert to the polyp stage allows Turritopsis dohrnii to escape death, theoretically enabling it to live indefinitely.
• Originally discovered in the Mediterranean Sea, it has since spread globally through ballast water discharge and other means.
• Primarily carnivorous, feeding on zooplankton, fish eggs, and small mollusks.
• Considered a "silent invasion" due to its unnoticed spread and small size.
• Studies on Turritopsis dohrnii focus on its potential applications in understanding aging and cellular regeneration.
• Maintaining Turritopsis dohrnii in captivity is difficult; only a few researchers have successfully done so.