| highwaystar101 said: Anyway, now to defend my point about it being evolution in action in this particular Skink. I believe that the selective pressures that form the eventual evolution which have been observed in other squamate are already happening in this case, and it will continue to do so if they continue to live in the cold environment over the coming generations and eventually they will develop more complex placentas. Even though it is early stages, this is the first step for this particular evolution for this lizard that will follow a path that many similar lizards have taken in the past. It may not be a significant evolution yet, but it is evolution that has been set in motion. As the article said. "Now we can see that the uterus secretes calcium that becomes incorporated into the embryo—it's basically the early stages of the evolution of a placenta in reptiles" |
Sorry I cut your text, I hate long quotes (I mean forum quotes, not like what you did :P)
As I said before, sure this is most likelly (we can't be quite sure since so much could happen to stop it) the start, or the early stages, of evolution of this trait. The other squamate sure point this way. But the idea is that if they had (or have, I don't know) actual differences compared to other populations, it'd imply not only that evolution is "being set in motion", but that it's actually happened there and still happening. It would be more interesting and qualify better as evidence.
The way it is right now, it uses the theory (and prior evidence) to suppose what'll probably happen, instead of saying "See, these two populations have diverged genetically in accordance to their different environments, and should continue doing so, just as expected".
Now, not that I think evolution needs any extra evidence, but it'd be more interesting.
Essay Pro