Absence or Rarity of Transitional Varieties
Darwin had this BIG problem with his theory that needed to be explained
The absence of intermediary species or transitional forms
What animal does Darwin use as an example of a species that lives on both land and water?
What is the American mink
Darwin focuses heavily on these organs as an example of independently developed organs that serve the same function.
Electric organs
What was the purpose of the woodpecker's colour if it did not serve as a direct form of an evolutionary edge?
The colour of the woodpecker served as a trait that attracted mates, leading to the survival and inheritance of the trait.
What is name of the basketball player in the hospital featured in the slides?
Kevin Durant
This pokemon is the intermediate form between Charmander and Charizard
Charmeleon
What process does Darwin claim helps organisms pass on traits and survive?
What is natural selection.
Darwin cites this animal as having a "two way digestive system."
The Hydra
The species would die out since it lost its evolutionary edge with the economy of nature.
Darwin was born on this day
February 12, 1809
Darwin relies on these instead of the fossil record to demonstrate his theory
Currently existing forms
What is the word Darwin uses to describe animals that show traits between adaptations?
What is transitional
This principle explains how seemingly perfectly designed organs can come to be.
Numerous graduations
Why does a bee have the trait of a stinger if it causes them to die?
Although one bee dies due to stinging something, it could mean the survival of the entire colony, which is an overall good.
The ship Darwin sailed around on for 5 years
HMS Beagle
Darwin's first explanation for why transitional forms are eliminated
Competition/Natural selection
More forms = more variation = more advantages and better chance for survival = more forms
How does the ability to glide assist the flying squirrel?
Helps them escape predators/catch prey
What Darwin calls problematic examples of organs that make it hard to believe they could've appeared via natural selection.
Special Difficulties
Why is it so hard to judge whether an organ is truly useless?
It could have been important in the past or serve a purpose in the future.
The amount of children Darwin had with his wife (and first cousin)
10
Darwin's second explanation for why there's no evidence of transitional forms
The imperfection of the fossil record
According to Darwin, what happens to the animals that are unable to adapt to their environment?
They face extinction/replaced by adapted species.
Darwin uses this metaphor to explain two organs performing the same purpose.
Two inventors independently having the same idea
Name a criteria that determines how modifications to a species are made
1) No modification that only serves another species or animal
2) Modifications are often made for the harm of other species
3) Organs will not be made that actively hurt the possessor of that organ
This was Darwin's middle name
Robert