Mutations of ichthyanders
Genetic adaptations to diving have been found for the first time among the Bajo sea peoples
Sergey Vasiliev, Naked Science
The Bajo people living in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are sometimes called "sea gypsies": their culture, skills, and traditions are adapted to nomadism on the ocean no worse than the Turkic nomads — to life in the steppe, and the Eskimos and Inuit — on the polar tundra. Experienced baggio divers can dive to a depth of tens of meters without any special devices, except for a weighting device and homemade glasses, and on one breath.
Video from the UC Berkeley press release Enhanced spleen key to diving endurance of ‘sea nomads' – VM.
A new study conducted by the team of a major Danish evolutionist, Eske Willerslev, has shown that such abilities of baggio are associated not only with prolonged training, but also with genetic adaptations. In an article published in the journal Cell (Ilardo et al., Physiological and Genetic Adaptations to Diving in Sea Nomads), scientists identify a number of genetic alleles that have spread widely among these peoples. In particular, they note an increase in the size of the spleen, which allows Bajo not to breathe for as long as possible, withstanding a fairly long lack of oxygen.
According to the authors, this was also indicated by previous studies of marine animals: the types of fur seals that stay under water longer are distinguished by an enlarged spleen, which both they and we have functions as a depot where oxygen-saturated red blood cells accumulate. Ultrasound examination of 43 bajo representatives (and 33 "land" residents of the surrounding islands) confirmed that their spleen was enlarged, and by as much as 50 percent.
The corresponding features were also found in the baggio genome: it provides an increased level of thyroid hormone synthesis thyroid gland, which, apparently, leads to an increase in the size of the spleen. They also have more active genes that contribute to narrowing of blood vessels and economical consumption of oxygen. Scientists note that all these features were the result of natural selection and evolutionary adaptation to life in the sea, requiring constant immersion for food. By the way, another such adaptation was discovered in 2003, when scientists showed that baggio's eyes are more adapted to seeing underwater.
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