Schools of Rare "Living Fossil" Jellyfishes Found in Guangzhou

 
10月6日，素有“活化石”之称的桃花水母继去年首次出现后，再度在芙蓉嶂山顶水库大面积出现。据知情者介绍，早上9点前桃花水母出现的数量最多，聚集在水中相当壮观。

Large schools of rare Peach Blossom Jellyfishes were found in a reservoir on top of Fu Rong Zhang Mountain in Huadu District, northern Guangzhou, China on October 6, according to Yangcheng Metro Daily. It is said that most of the jellyfishes appear before 9 am and the scene in water is phenomenal. They ever showed up in Guangzhou last year.

桃花水母又称桃花鱼，是地球上最低等级生物，出现时间比恐龙还早上几亿年，被喻为生物进化研究的“活化石”，其本身独有的基因对现代基因工程研究有重要意义。

The rare jellyfish is regarded as "living fossil" in biology and evolution, as the lowest level of creature on earth. They appeared million of years earlier than dinosaurs. Its unique genes are significant for research on modern gene engineering.

桃花水母对生存环境有极高的要求，水质不能有任何污染，活体罕见，极难制成标本，被国家列为世界最高级别的“极危生物”，更有“水中大熊猫”之称。

The creature has very critical requirement on living environment. Even tiny scale of water pollution would be fatal to them. It is very hard to find one alive. It is ranked as "the most endangered creature" in the world by Chinese authorities and also called "Panda in the Water". (by Chen Wenli)

Source: www.lifeofguangzhou.com

Editor: Carrot Chan