科学家研究了在水中发现的DNA，发现尼斯湖水怪可能是巨型鳗鱼

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster is most likely to have been sparked by sightings of giant eels, scientists say.

科学家说，尼斯湖水怪的传说，最有可能是因为看到了巨大的鳗鱼。

After combing the loch for samples of environmental DNA, they found that it is unlikely that Nessie is the last surviving prehistoric reptile.

在仔细检查了湖上的环境DNA样本后，他们发现尼斯湖水怪不太可能是幸存的最后一只史前爬行动物。

The research, led by Professor Neil Gemmell from the University of Otago in New Zealand, saw 250 water samples taken from the edges, centre and very depths of Britain's largest body of freshwater by volume.

这项研究由新西兰奥塔戈大学的尼尔·杰梅尔教授领导，从英国最大淡水体的边缘、中心和最深处采集了250个水样。

The DNA from each sample was captured, extracted and sequenced and then compared to global DNA databases in a bid to create a comprehensive picture of life in the loch.

每个样本的DNA都被采集、提取和测序，然后与全球的DNA数据库进行比较，以期创建一个全面的湖泊生物图片。

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The findings quickly debunked one of the most popular theories: that the Loch Ness Monster could be a reptile, or population of reptiles, which survived from the time of the dinosaurs, such as a plesiosaur.

这一发现很快揭穿了一个最流行的理论：尼斯湖水怪可能是一种爬行动物，或者说是爬行动物种群，它们从恐龙时代就存活下来，比如蛇颈龙。

Other theories suggest that Nessie may be a giant catfish, a giant sturgeon, an eel or even a Greenland shark, which can live for up to 500 years.

其他理论认为，尼斯湖可能是一条巨型鲶鱼、巨型鲟鱼、鳗鱼，甚至是一条格陵兰鲨鱼，它们的寿命可以长达500年。

The only possibility not ruled out by the research was that of a giant eel - perhaps explaining Nessie's looped shape in the British imagination.

这项研究不排除的唯一可能是一条巨大的鳗鱼——这也许可以解释为什么尼斯湖水怪会在英国人的想象中是盘旋状。

Professor Gemmell said: "There is a very significant amount of eel DNA. Eels are very plentiful in Loch Ness, with eel DNA found at pretty much every location sampled - there are a lot of them.

杰梅尔教授说：“鳗鱼的DNA含量非常高。尼斯湖中鳗鱼非常丰富，几乎每一个取样地点都发现了鳗鱼的DNA——鳗鱼数量很多。”

(AP/AAP)

"So - are they giant eels? Well, our data doesn't reveal their size, but the sheer quantity of the material says that we can't discount the possibility that there may be giant eels in Loch Ness."

“那么——它们是巨型鳗鱼吗?”嗯，我们的数据没有显示它们的大小，但从材料的数量来看，我们不能排除尼斯湖可能存在巨型鳗鱼的可能性。”

He added: "Divers have claimed that they've seen eels that are as thick as their legs in the loch, whether they're exaggerating or not - I don't know - but there is a possibility that there are very large eels present in the loch.

他补充说：“潜水员声称，他们在湖中看到过和腿一样粗的鳗鱼，不管这是不是夸张——我不知道——但有可能湖中有非常大的鳗鱼。”

"Whether they are as big as around 4m (13ft) as some of these sightings suggest - well, as a geneticist I think about mutations and natural variation a lot, and while an eel that big would be well outside the normal range, it seems not impossible that something could grow to such unusual size."

“无论它们的大小是否如一些目击记录所显示的4米(13英尺)左右——作为一名遗传学家，我经常会考虑基因突变和自然变异，虽然这么大的鳗鱼远远超出正常范围，但似乎不可能有东西长到如此不寻常的大小。”

He said further research was needed to test the theory, but added: "Based on our data, giant eels remain a plausible idea."

他说，还需要进一步的研究来验证这一理论，但他补充说：“根据我们的数据，巨型鳗鱼仍然是一个合理的想法。”

Another finding from the research was the high levels of DNA from land-based species in the loch, including humans, dogs and farm animals such as sheep and cattle.

这项研究的另一项发现是，湖中陆地物种的DNA含量很高，包括人类、狗和绵羊、牛等农场动物。

DNA from wild animals such as deer, badgers, foxes, rabbits, voles and multiple bird species was also found.

还发现了鹿、獾、狐狸、兔子、田鼠和多种鸟类等野生动物的DNA。

Dr Gemmell said: "These findings indicate (environmental) DNA surveys of major waterways may be useful for rapidly surveying biological diversity at a regional level."

Gemmell博士说：“这些发现表明，主要水道的(环境)DNA调查，可能有助于在区域一级快速调查生物多样性。”

A documentary about the hunt for Nessie's DNA is due to air on the Discovery Channel on September 15.

一部关于寻找尼斯湖水怪DNA的纪录片将于9月15日在探索频道播出。