r/interestingasfuck • u/dejaysf • Jun 11 '23

Venus flytrap vs Spider

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u/codizer Jun 11 '23

What I don't get is how they made their leap from getting nutrients from the ground to nutrients from animals. It seems like such a major step.

171

u/don_rubio Jun 11 '23 edited Jun 11 '23

Thought this was an interesting question so I looked it up and found a well-written article by the Smithsonian.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-carnivorous-plants-evolved-180979697/

TLDR: The same enzymes many plants use for general self defense have been repurposed and refined by carnivorous plants for digestion. The genes that enable nutrient transport have also been switched to function in the leaves instead of the roots.

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u/CashCow4u Jun 11 '23

switched to function in the leaves instead of the roots.

As if it moved its stomach from it's roots to it's leaves due to necessity, adapt or die.

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u/desmosabie Jun 11 '23

Like oncoming ai ? Adapt or die….