Author Amy Tan ‘Thrilled’ By Bloodsucking Leech Named in Her Honor

Scientists at theAmerican Museum of Natural Historyin New York have advert a new mintage of leech after Amy Tan , bestselling author of such novels as The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter ’s Daughter . They also complete a CT scan of the tiny creature — the first sentence the technique has been used on a microscopic gentle - incarnate specimen .

Chtonobdella tanae hails from Queensland , Australia , and miss any form of cuticle or exoskeleton , take a shit it peculiarly challenging to catch via CT scanning . The researchers describe their workin a raw paperin the diary Zoologica Scripta .

CT scanning is a draw like standard x - ray imaging , except the car take stack of sectional slices from various angle of the objective being imaged . The effect is a high - firmness of purpose 3D image of the object ’s upcountry . Because it uses x - ray , osseous tissue ( which is very dense ) prove up in sharp direct contrast in the ensue images . This is great if you ’re studying vertebrates like dinosaurs or lizards , for model .

But soft tissue — like the stuff that get up worms or jellyfish ( or leeches)—isn’t as dumb , and thus does n’t show up very well in CT scans . That ’s why researchers typically bank on traditional dissection to get a good aspect at the insides of their invertebrate specimens . It ’s less exact , however , and usually destruct the specimen , unless a scientist fastidiously reconstructs the animate being .

It would be squeamish to have the non - invasive CT option available for soft - incarnate creatures as well — especially those , like Chtonobdella tanae , that are just too minuscule to analyse .

The trick is to figure out how to enhance contrast . The AMNH squad screen various chemical substance preservative on North American fresh water hirudinean , and get hold that the beneficial option was to first fix the leech in a assortment of alcohol , formalin , and acetic acid , and then refix it using atomic number 76 tetroxide .

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The latter contain a wakeless metallic element ( osmium ) , and through this two - phase process , it bind to intimate tissues . Voila ! Instant contrast enhancement ! It proved just the ticket for imaging the tiny Chtonobdella tanae .

And why did they name the fauna after Amy Tan ? Not only is Tan a longtime garter of the AMNH , she makes frequent mention to these diminutive leech in her 2005 novel , Saving Pisces from Drowning . The researchers figured she would see the wittiness in it , and recognize the intend honor .

For her part , Tan pronounced herself “ thrilled ” to have a bloodsucking hirudinean named after herin a instruction : “ I am now planning my trip-up to Queensland , Australia , where I hope to take leisurely walks through the hobo camp , accompanied by a twelve or so of my namesake feed in on my ankles . ”

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