Nic Rawlence Exam Question: Flashcards
What are the two evolutionary biology mechanisms that can lead to convergent evolution?
Red Queen hypothesis
Natural selection
What does the red queen hypothesis explain?
Species must constantly adapt and evolve to survive in the face of evolving competitors = evolutionary arms race
Why can the RQH lead to convergent evolution?
When different species face similar selective pressures from their respective competitors, they may evolve similar adaptive traits independantly
How did competition influence the adaptations of Hupehsuchus and baleen whales?
Competition in their environment drove both species to develop filter-feeding strategies
How is the red queen hypothesis influenced by natural selection?
Natural selection is the primary mechanism tat drives the continuous adaptations described by the RQH. As species evolve in response to their competitors, natural selection favours individuals with traits that enhance their survival or reproduction
What do Hupehsuchus fossils reveal about its relationship to modern baleen whales?
Despite a 200-million-year separation, they exhibit strikingly similar skull and jaw morphologies
What key features are shared between Hupehsuchus and baleen whales?
Elongated snouts, baleen-like structures, and edentulous jaws
Why is the fossil record significant in this context?
It provides tangible evidence of morphological similarities across vast evolutionary distances
What does phylogenetic analysis reveal about Hupehsuchus and mysticetes?
They belong to distant clades with different divergence dates and filter-feeding appearances
How does phylogenetic analysis rule out shared ancestry?
It proves that filter-feeding adaptations evolved independantly in both lineages
What role do geometric morphometrics play in this argument?
They place Hupehsuchus in a morphospace overlapping with Mysticetes and Odontocetes, refuting alternative explanations like parallel evolution.
What is the main argument regarding convergent evolution in this context?
Similar ecological pressures can drive unrelated lineages to evolve remarkably similar adaptations
What example illustrates convergent evolution effectively?
The filter-feeding adaptation seen in both Hupehsuchus and baleen whales
Why is the evidence from evolutionary biology, paleontology, and Phylogenetics compelling?
It demonstrates, beyond reasonable doubt, that convergent evolution occurs across distantly related species
What analogous traits did natural selection favour in both species?
Toothless snouts, unfused mandibles, and specialised filter-feeding structures
