유기성 슬러지 먹이에 대한 두 근연종인 줄지렁이(Eisenia fetida)와 붉은줄지렁이(Eisenia andrei)의 생식반응 비교

A comparison of the reproduction of two closely related species, tiger worm(Eisenia fetida) and red tiger worm(Eisenia andrei) when the organic sludge was suppied to them

CO I 유전자 염기서열을 분석한 결과 경북농약연구소에서 독성실험에 이용되고 있는 경주집단 Eisenia속지렁이의 ‘분자생물학적 종’은 줄지렁이(E. fetida)로 동정되었고 유기성 폐기물 재활용에 활용되고 있는 영동집단Eisenia속 지렁이의 ‘분자생물학적 종’은 붉은줄지렁이(E. andrei)로 동정되었다. 이들 두 분자생물학적 종의 유기성폐기물에 대한 생식반응을 비교한 결과 줄지렁이 집단의 산란률과 차세대 성충으로의 성장률이 붉은줄지렁이보다다소 높게 나타나거나 또는 두 집단 간 유의미한 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 두 집단 간 교잡 후 생산되는산란수나 차세대 성충 생산수는 같은 집단내 개체들로부터 생산된 것들보다 현저하게 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 따라서줄지렁이 집단과 붉은줄지렁이 집단 간에 완전한 생식적 격리는 이루어지지 않았지만 이 두 집단 간에 생물학적종분화가 진행되고 있는 것으로 판단된다.

CO I gene sequence analysis was applied to earthworms that had been used as test animals in toxicity test in Institute of Kyeongbook Agrochemicals and earthworms used as vermicomposting agents in the farm of Youngdong province to identify their species names. In terms of molecular species, the former was identified as Eisenia fetida and the latter was Eisenia andrei. Cocoons produced from Eisenia fetida was more than those from Eisenia andrei. And No. of adults developed from eggs of Eisenia fetida was more or less higher than those developed from eggs of Eisenia andrei. These results were contradictory to previous reports on two Eisenia spp.. When Eisenia fetida was crossed with Eisenia andrei, hybridized eggs were produced and adults were developed from those eggs, but cocoons and adults were much less than those from non-crossed Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei. This indicated that two Eisenia spp. were not distinctly different biological species because there was no complete ‘reproductive isolation’ between Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei. However, this also meant that Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei had already been on the tract of speciation.