Module 11 Prompt

 Module 11 Prompt:

 

In the book, it talks about how hybridization from secondary contact can lead to homoploid hybrid speciation. An example of this is the formation of a new species that are isolated reproductively from both parents but without any change in the ploidy levels. This isn’t very common but is seen in insects, amphibians, fishes, and birds. We even see them in marine mammals as well. One that most people would be familiar with though is the famous Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos Islands. The hybridization between the mating of the male Espanola cactus finch and the female medium ground finches from different islands is a classic example. The hybridization event produced a new lineage that became endemic to the Daphne Major Island. The lineage is known as the “big bird lineage” because of the size of the birds! They even caused the new lineage to become isolated reproductively from other species that occurred naturally on the island ultimately.

The process of speciation usually takes some time but in the case of the “big birds” finches, it happened very quickly. According to an article in futurity, speciation happened in just two generations….TWO! I don’t know about y’all but that is very hard to wrap around my head right now. It is safe to say Charles Darwin might have had a heart attack had he seen this happen way back when. These birds have their own beak morphology as well which makes them different from the other finches. I think this is a great example of hybridization because we’ve already discussed Darwin’s finches and it’s cool to add a new concept to talk about with these birds.

New 'Big Birds' in Galápagos arose super fast - Futurity

Blog Post Module 9:

 Blog Post Module 9: Reflection Prompt - Option 1

 

Camels

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These majestic and awesome hoofed animals are badass, in my humble opinion. Most people know that there are two main types or species of camels: ones that have one hump and those have two humps. Camels that have one hump on their back typically live in warmer climates while those with two live in colder climates. Their humps allow camels to store a lot of fat that they need to live off of for weeks or months at a time when nutrients and water are scarce.

An interesting fact about camels is that their red blood cells are oval-shaped which isn’t like blood cells in mammals. The shape helps facilitate blood flow during dehydrated states and is able to withstand high variation of diffusion of water through the cell membrane without bursting; this helps ensure that these creatures can drink a lot of water at one time.

Another interesting aspect of camels is their eyelids. Camels actually have three sets of eyelids in order to keep the sand out of their eyes which was a necessary adaptation to their tough environment. Additionally, camels also have two rows of thick eyelashes to also help keep sand out of their eyes. Camels also have the ability to shut their nostrils during rough sandstorms.

On top of all of this, these glorious animals can run up to 40 miles an hour which is about the same as a racehorse! THEY ARE SPEED. They can also spit in order to distract from an impending attack on something they consider dangerous or threatening so you better keep your distance and not get on their bad side. I would say you can try and run away but they WILL catch you.

Camels are just really cool animals that have adapted to their environments very well and I hope to meet one someday!

13 Fun Facts About Camels | SPANA

Camels - All About Camels Facts, Information & Pictures (animalcorner.org)

Blog 10

 

                                                Enjoy this picture of a majestic llama :)

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The pipefish species is a perfect example of sexual dimorphism in nature. For this prompt, we were asked to watch a video of a display of courtship between the male and female species. While normally, the male of the species has elaborate morphological structures and striking colors attempting to court the female of the species. The female of the species, on the other hand, is typically the one that looks “dull” and has no striking colors, and is being courted. In the cases of the pipefish, we see some sort of a ‘switch’ in these courting relationships. Instead, the females have a striking appearance and are courting the ‘dull’ males.

The question we are asked to consider is how does something like this evolve? We believe that this sexual dimorphism is a consequence of adaptive evolution. Males and females are different in their investment in offspring production. We typically see the males who stand out in appearances as only having the role of providing sperm in the production of the offspring. The ‘drabby’ females do the rest of the work. We can formulate a hypothesis that pipefish have the roles reversed in sexual dimorphism because the males actually do most the of work in the production of healthy offspring and females only provide the egg.  

The whole point of one of the partners to look ‘pretty’ is to show the other partner that they are fit and have great and healthy genes to pass down to potential offspring. The other partner that has no ‘pazazz’ doesn’t need to prove anything to their partner as they are being courted, or sought after. In the case of the pipefish, the females have adapted to display colors and prove to their male counterparts that they have great genes and will produce healthy and strong offspring