Elegans

Elegans is a term that can refer to several species across different biological classifications. The most well-known species with this name is Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living, transparent nematode (roundworm) about 1 mm in length that lives in temperate soil environments.

Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism in the field of molecular biology and genetics. It was the first multicellular organism to have its entire genome sequenced. The genome of C. elegans consists of approximately 100 million base pairs and contains around 20,000 protein-coding genes.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of C. elegans includes an embryonic stage, four larval stages (L1-L4), and adulthood. Under favorable conditions, the entire life cycle can be completed in about 3 days at 20°C.

Research Significance

C. elegans is extensively used in research due to its simplicity, well-mapped nervous system, and the ease with which it can be genetically manipulated. It has contributed significantly to our understanding of developmental biology, neurobiology, and aging.

Other Species

The term "elegans" is also used in the names of other species across different taxa. Some examples include:

• Acanthodactylus elegans - a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae.
• Aloe elegans - a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe.
• Austroaeschna elegans - a species of dragonfly in the family Telephlebiidae.

Related Pages

• Model organism
• Nematode
• Genetics
• Developmental biology
• Neurobiology
• Aging

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Caenorhabditis elegans
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Nematoda
Class:	Secernentea
Order:	Rhabditida
Family:	Rhabditidae