The taxonomy and ecology of the mobile telephone.
By David Hall
Bristol University, UK.
The mobile ‘phone has evolved rapidly over the last 30 years, but unlike many organisms where this morphogenesis is lost in the sands of time, a complete record of this evolution has been documented in society and in the literature.
Outward appearance
Telephonium mobilus (Ericsson 1876) fundamentally differs from its more primitive ancestor (T. cordata) in that it has become completely independent - a factor crucial to it’s spread and subsequent speciation. This has led to the loss of spiral leads (akin to the umbilical cord in human babies) and other wires from this species. They vary tremendously in size, but evolution seems to be pointing towards a further decrease in body size, perhaps linked to costs of transportation and reduction in host pocket size over the last 20 years (Urabe & Nojima 1996; Anon 1997). There is a hard exoskeleton observable in all morphs, although while some have a single body section, others are articulated: This adaptation may be an advanced modification and one linked to defence (see below). All morphs have distinctive phenotypic patterning on one side of the body, in a numerical style that is thought to be related to sexual selection or host choice.
Movement and locomotion
Although some individuals are hinged the movement is usually very simple and, despite some rotational pivoting, remains antediluvian. There are no external appendages on the most recent morphs, although a vestigial limb (varying in length) is present on some older forms. However, despite the lack of such appendages, movement is enabled by an advanced vibrating movement not seen elsewhere in the animal kingdom, which can transport them short distances, and possibly away from harm.
Senses
For such a small individual, T. mobilus has a vast array of senses. The most important of these is sound, and it has developed complex ears and vocal cords. The ears are capable of hearing small whispers from a distance and pick up faint background sounds; and a sophisticated amplification system can sometimes recognise host voices. Furthermore, there are superior vocal cords that can produce a wide range of sounds and polyphonic melodies, some of which lead to human intolerance - perhaps also a defence mechanism. The purpose of these sounds is unclear, but may be used in threat displays or in mating.
There is also, in some more recent morphs, a noticeable visual structure, very simple in some primal forms, but astoundingly complex in modern T. mobilus. Some are capable of observing moving colour images, and remembering such images for what can only be described as ‘future amusement’. This variation is similar to that of the ancient trilobites, which often had similar dorsal exoskeletons and a range of eyes and movements (Trammer & Kaim 1997).
No sense of taste is discernable, and touch is limited to the vibrating movement in most members of the species. Some authors have suggested a “sixth sense” where T. mobilus emits a vocal resonance just when the host is about to communicate with the same person. This has yet to be confirmed with bona fide data.
Defence
The articulated body of some individual morphs is thought to be partially for protective purposes, somewhat analogous to that of the giant clams (Tridacnidae). However not all forms have this adaptation, and those without have a fragile head region which is often easily damaged. While there are no active predators of T. mobilus, there are lurking dangers, and many have fallen victim to taxi cabs (Vehiculum familiaris taxis), nightclubs (Disco disco) and flushing toilets (Lavatorium crapperii).
Geographical distribution
T. mobilus has a highly mobile host, which has facilitated its rapid spread to almost every corner of the world since their expansion from T. cordata. Their distribution has mirrored that of humans, and this behaviour has become synonymous with other symbiotic relationships. Small evolutionary changes frequently (but not exclusively) begin in the north Pacific region, in particular Japan, but this has been disputed by scientists in other regions.
Feeding ecology
T. mobilus seems to be exclusively a nicadophage, and needs to feed approximately every two to four days, depending on age and on the extent to which they employ their senses (Townsend 2000). This is very different to the ancestral T. cordata, which is an eletriciphage. In some cases, T. mobilus can enter a period of torpor, where only essential functions are accessible in order to save energy. If left unfed, their functions are massively reduced, and this can lead to inactivity, ill treatment and even death.
Reproduction
There are no known methods of reproduction for the species, and although extensive tests have been carried out on the several openings around the anal and lateral regions of several morphs, there is no positive association between them and reproductive status. It is, therefore, thought that the species is infertile and incapable of breeding. However, the evolution is so rapid in T. mobilus that old individuals are rarely, if ever, reconditioned and are usually left to die by the host. There has been evidence of “SIM card exchange”, where SIM information is incorporated from one individual into a second individual; a situation comparable to DNA exchange in bacteria (see Christner 2002). This may be important in aiding survival and passing on key information between morphs.
The future
It seems clear that the rapid speciation of T. mobilus is set to continue, and with it, the possible appearance of further sub-species or full species (see Lewis & Westall (1997) for a more detailed summary). Already, there is a sub-species (T. mobilus bluetoothii) that occurs in some areas, where a discrete attachment linked remotely from species to host facilitates communication. These provide the basis for future advances in the taxonomy of the species.
References
Anon. (1997). Instrument for the determination of various parameters in pocket-size. Tenside Surfactants Detergents 34, 127.
Christner, B.C. (2002). Incorporation of DNA and protein precursors into macromolecules by bacteria at -15 degrees C. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 68, 6435-6438.
Lewis, A. and Westall, F. (1997). Whither speech? Fantasy and the evolution of the telephone. British Telecommunications Engineering 16, 118-123.
Townsend, A.M. (2000). Life in the real-time city: Mobile telephones and urban metabolism. Journal of Urban Technology 7, 85-104.
Trammer, J. and Kaim, A. (1997). Body size and diversity exemplified by three trilobite clades. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 42, 1-12.
Urabe, S. and Nojima, T. (1996). Developments in mobile/portable telephones and key devices for miniaturization. Ieice Transactions on Electronics E79C, 600-605.
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