Tasmanian Devils Rapidly Evolve to Overcome Facial Tumor Disease

An international group of researchers has discovered that two regions in the genomes of Tasmanian devils ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) are changing in response to the spread of a recently emerged infectious disease.
Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ). Image credit: J.J. Harrison / CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Tasmanian devil is found throughout the island state of Tasmania, Australia, although fossil evidence suggests that it once occupied much of the Australian mainland.
It is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, reaching 2.6 feet (80 cm) in length and weighing up to 31 pounds (14 kg).
This animal was given the unflattering ‘devil’ name by early settlers, perhaps after they heard the animal’s otherworldly cries in the night.
Tasmanian devils are nocturnal and u… Read more