Acetabularia jalakanyakae is a single-celled green algae found in subtropical waters. The newly-identified species was collected from intertidal rocks at Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- It belongs to the family Polyphysaceae of the order Dasycladales.
- The species belong to this family are called living fossils.
- It is also called ‘mermaid’s wineglass’ because of its beautiful umbrella-shaped cap. The Acetabularia genus consists of at least currently accepted 13 species.
- Four species are known from India, including three from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. it is morphologically similar to Acetabularia crenulata, a green algal species from Key West, Florida.
What are living fossils?
- The term “living fossils” was coined by Charles Darwin. It is used to describe living creatures that have stood the test of time — hardy and resilient organisms that have remained largely unchanged for millions of years.
- A living fossil is an ancient species that (1) hasn’t gone extinct, (2) has not produced, or “radiated,” many new species (i.e. low taxonomic diversity), and (3) has remained relatively unchanged over the course of millennia.
- Examples of living fossils: Coelacanths, Ctenophores, Cyanobacteria, Elephant Sharks, Crocodiles, Horseshoe Crabs, Fig Wasps, Ginkgo Biloba and Cycads.
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