A new study published in the journal Science Advances has uncovered a major explosion of fish biodiversity due to a single genetic adaptation. Researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Washington analyzed the genomes of 4,500 species of fish and discovered that a single gene, known as SLC24A5, was responsible for the rapid increase in fish biodiversity. This gene is responsible for the coloration of fish, and is believed to be the primary driving force behind the diversification of species. The study found that by changing just a few nucleotides in this gene, fish were able to rapidly evolve into new species and spread across the globe. This study sheds light on the evolutionary process of fish, and could even be used to better understand the evolution of other species.

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source: Phys.org