Saturday, May 9, 2026
Health - LEVEL2

Stunning Discovery: Octopuses’ Ancient Sex Chromosomes Defy Evolution!

By aimee yang
Stunning Discovery: Octopuses’ Ancient Sex Chromosomes Defy Evolution!

Octopuses might have the oldest sex chromosomes in the animal kingdom. Scientists recently found out that these creatures have a way to determine their sex written in their genes. The discovery was made by researchers at the University of Oregon.

They studied the genes of a California two-spot octopus and found a special chromosome pair. Males have two Z chromosomes, while females have only one. This system is different from humans, where females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome.

By comparing the genomes of different cephalopods, scientists discovered that the Z chromosome has been around for over 480 million years. This makes it one of the oldest sex chromosomes known. The findings suggest that octopuses could be valuable for studying how sex chromosomes have evolved over time.

The research was published in the journal Current Biology.

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Chromosomes/ˈkroʊ.məˌsoʊmz/noun
Structures within cells that contain DNA and genetic information.

Genomes/ˈdʒiː.noʊmz/noun
The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

Cephalopods/ˈsɛf.ə.ləˌpɒdz/noun
A class of marine animals that includes octopuses squids and cuttlefish.

Discover/dɪsˈkʌv.ər/verb
To find out information or something previously unknown.

Ancient/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/adjective
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence.

Evolved/ɪˈvɑːlvd/verb
Developed gradually especially from a simple to a more complex form.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

What is unique about the sex chromosomes of octopuses?
They have the oldest sex chromosomes in the animal kingdom
They have X and Y chromosomes like humans
They have unique DNA sequences in their sex chromosomes
They have three sex chromosomes
How many Z chromosomes do male octopuses have?
One
Two
Three
None
Where was the discovery about octopus sex chromosomes made?
University of Oregon
University of California
Harvard University
Stanford University
What do female octopuses have in terms of sex chromosomes?
Two Z chromosomes
One Z chromosome
One X and one Y chromosome
Three chromosomes
For how long has the Z chromosome in octopuses existed?
Over 100 million years
Around 200 million years
Over 480 million years
Less than 50 million years
What can studying octopus sex chromosomes potentially help with?
Understanding evolution of sex chromosomes
Creating new animal species
Improving human fertility
Developing new pharmaceuticals
Octopuses are the only animals with Z chromosomes.
The research about octopus sex chromosomes was published in Nature journal.
The discovery about octopus sex chromosomes was made by scientists at Harvard University.
Octopuses have a similar sex chromosome system to humans.
The Z chromosome in octopuses has been around for less than 100 million years.
Studying octopus sex chromosomes is not expected to provide insights into the evolution of sex chromosomes.
The Z chromosome has been around for over million years in octopuses.
Researchers at the University of made the discovery about octopus sex chromosomes.
Males have two Z chromosomes, while females have only .
Octopuses could be valuable for studying how sex chromosomes have evolved over .
The special chromosome pair found in octopuses is different from the one in .
The study of octopus sex chromosomes was published in the journal Biology.
This question is required
aimee yang
aimee yanghttps://esl-news.com

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
Chromosomes/ˈkroʊ.məˌsoʊmz/noun
Structures within cells that contain DNA and genetic information.
Genomes/ˈdʒiː.noʊmz/noun
The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.
Cephalopods/ˈsɛf.ə.ləˌpɒdz/noun
A class of marine animals that includes octopuses squids and cuttlefish.
Discover/dɪsˈkʌv.ər/verb
To find out information or something previously unknown.
Ancient/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/adjective
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence.
Evolved/ɪˈvɑːlvd/verb
Developed gradually especially from a simple to a more complex form.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

What is unique about the sex chromosomes of octopuses?
They have the oldest sex chromosomes in the animal kingdom
They have X and Y chromosomes like humans
They have unique DNA sequences in their sex chromosomes
They have three sex chromosomes
How many Z chromosomes do male octopuses have?
One
Two
Three
None
Where was the discovery about octopus sex chromosomes made?
University of Oregon
University of California
Harvard University
Stanford University
What do female octopuses have in terms of sex chromosomes?
Two Z chromosomes
One Z chromosome
One X and one Y chromosome
Three chromosomes
For how long has the Z chromosome in octopuses existed?
Over 100 million years
Around 200 million years
Over 480 million years
Less than 50 million years
What can studying octopus sex chromosomes potentially help with?
Understanding evolution of sex chromosomes
Creating new animal species
Improving human fertility
Developing new pharmaceuticals
Octopuses are the only animals with Z chromosomes.
The research about octopus sex chromosomes was published in Nature journal.
The discovery about octopus sex chromosomes was made by scientists at Harvard University.
Octopuses have a similar sex chromosome system to humans.
The Z chromosome in octopuses has been around for less than 100 million years.
Studying octopus sex chromosomes is not expected to provide insights into the evolution of sex chromosomes.
The Z chromosome has been around for over million years in octopuses.
Researchers at the University of made the discovery about octopus sex chromosomes.
Males have two Z chromosomes, while females have only .
Octopuses could be valuable for studying how sex chromosomes have evolved over .
The special chromosome pair found in octopuses is different from the one in .
The study of octopus sex chromosomes was published in the journal Biology.
This question is required

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