Researchers have discovered a new species of tiny crustaceans that can survive in extreme temperatures in the ancient hot springs of the Inca.
The new species, named Hyalella yashmara, is a type of amphipod, a group of animals that are related to shrimps but have different body shapes and adaptations.
Amphipods are usually found in cool aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats, but H. yashmara can live in water as hot as 52.1°C (125.78°F), the hottest recorded for any amphipod.
A surprising discovery in the Baths of the Inca
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The new species was discovered by a team of Japanese and Peruvian researchers who surveyed the hot spring biota of Baños del Inca (Baths of the Inca) near the ancient Inca city of Cajamarca.
Baños del Inca is a popular tourist destination that was once used by the Inca rulers as a place of relaxation and healing.
The water temperature at the source of the hot spring can reach up to 78°C (172.4°F), which is enough to cook most living organisms.
"Though the amphipod is a taxon with a great diversity of habitats, the discovery of a new species from a previously unexpected high-temperature environment is most surprising," said study corresponding author Ko Tomikawa, professor at Hiroshima University's Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
This is an important finding because it indicates that the diversity of habitats for amphipods is much greater than previously thought.
The researchers named the new species after the two daughters of one of them, Nilton Deza Arroyo, who is a professor at Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca and a co-author of the study.
Hyalella is a genus of amphipods that are endemic to the Americas, with more than 100 species described so far.
The researchers compared H. yashmara with another Peruvian amphipod species, H. meinerti, and found some similarities and differences in their morphology and physiology.
Both species have a head with eyes and an upper dorsal antenna shorter than the lower ventral antenna.
However, H. yashmara differs from H. meinerti in its claw-bearing limbs, respiratory structures, tail fan, and tail plate shape.
The most remarkable difference, however, is their tolerance to high temperatures. The researchers conducted experiments to test how long H. yashmara and H. meinerti could survive in different water temperatures.
They found that H. yashmara could survive up to 52.1°C (125.78°F), while H. meinerti died at 40°C (104°F).
Moreover, H. yashmara could not survive below 19.8°C (67.64°F), while H. meinerti could live in cooler waters.
The researchers observed that H. yashmara was more active during the day when the water temperature was higher, and less active in the morning when it was lower.
They speculated that H. yashmara has evolved some biochemical and molecular mechanisms to cope with heat stress, such as producing heat-shock proteins or modifying their membrane fluidity.
The researchers also suggested that H. yashmara may have some ecological advantages over other crustaceans in its habitat, such as avoiding predators or competitors that cannot tolerate high temperatures.
According to them, H. yashmara may provide some clues for understanding how organisms can adapt to climate change and extreme environments.
