科学｜魚のあくびが進化の証？ / Science | Is a fish’s yawn evidence of evolution?

Summary

A research group from Mie University and the Toba Aquarium has clarified the significance of yawning in lungfish.

According to the study, yawning is a behavior that has been passed down through evolution without disappearing, and it retains its role during the transition from gill breathing to lung breathing. This discovery suggests that there are commonalities between fish and humans, reinforcing the idea that yawning is an important behavior in the course of evolution.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Chako: Hey Log, did you know that fish yawn too?
Log: Yeah, I knew that, but it’s interesting that it has been confirmed through research. It means yawning has persisted throughout evolution.
Chako: Exactly! Yawning is an important behavior!
Navi: Just to add, studies have shown that yawning exists in both gill-breathing and lung-breathing creatures, even though its role changes.
Log: I see, it’s pretty fascinating that fish and humans share this trait. I always thought yawning was just a habit.
Chako: I thought so too! The idea that yawning is a sign of evolution is really amazing!

Admin’s Note

This research shows that yawning in fish is significant in the context of evolution, which is quite fascinating. Discovering similarities with humans may change our perception of fish. I believe that reevaluating the role of yawning will help deepen our understanding of biological evolution. I hope that further studies like this will continue and yield new insights into animal behavior.