18
2017
what is new ?
Wax worm caterpillars found to eat Plastics
The wax worm, the larvae of insect Galleria mellonella, is
found to possess the ability to biodegrade polyethylene,
which is one of the toughest and most used plastics. The
scientists have observed that the degradation rate of the wax
worm is extremely fast when compared to other recent
discoveries. Last year, a bacteria was found to biodegrade
plastics at a rate of just 0.13mg a day.
The present discovery assumes significance for getting rid
of the ever increasing Polyethylene plastic waste that
degrades the environment. It is estimated that a trillion plastic
bags are used every single year. The plastics are highly
resistant to breaking down, and even if it does the smaller
pieces usually tend to choke up ecosystems without getting
degraded. The wax worms were found to transform the
polyethylene into ethylene glycol. To make sure it was not
just the chewing and degrading the plastic, scientists mashed
up some of the worms and smeared them on polyethylene
bags and got similar results as above. The molecular details
of the process of break down could be used to come up with
a biotechnological solution for managing polyethylene waste.
Wax worms are medium-white caterpillars with black-tipped
feet that live as parasites in bee colonies and are
commercially bred for fishing bait. They are the caterpillar
larvae of wax moths. Wax moths lay their eggs inside
beehives where these worms hatch and grow on beeswax. The wax worms feed on cocoons, pollen, and shed
skins of bees and are considered as parasites by the beekeepers.
Tree-dwelling crab species Kani maranjadu found in Kerala
Scientists from the University of Kerala have
discovered a new species of long-legged, tree-
dwelling crabs named Kani maranjandu in
Western Ghats of Kerala. It has been named
after the Kani tribe in Kerala and are
substantially different from other congeners
(organisms within the same genus). Key Facts
Kani maranjandu is the first crab species of its
kind to offer a record of an arboreal crab
(species that lives in trees). Characteristic
traits: Its upper shell is hard, its male abdominal
structure and reproductive parts and diagnostic
elongated walking legs (no other genus has).