Evolution in Action: Lizard Moves from eggs to live birth!

[Keeper]

Evolution has been caught in the act, according to scientists who are decoding how a species of Australian lizard is abandoning egg-laying in favor of live birth.

Along the warm coastal lowlands of New South Wales (map), the yellow-bellied three-toed skink lays eggs to reproduce. But individuals of the same species living in the state's higher, colder mountains are almost all giving birth to live young.

Full Article here:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...ution-australia-lizard-skink-live-birth-eggs/

 

[Necuno]

cookies 3:45 PM on October 25, 2011

I love how people seem so unamazed by this as if humans have gained the ability to "just switch" our birthing method. When was the last time you heard of a woman laying an egg because she wanted to be unrestrained.

hehe

 

[ponder]

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

 

[Hamster]

Oh FFS!

 

[AlphaJohn]

Still eggs, they just soft shells and "incubate" inside the mother.

 

[porchrat]

Still eggs, they just soft shells and "incubate" inside the mother.

If you are trying to argue that that doesn't constitute a live birth you are failing miserably. This is ovoviviparity but it is still a form of vivipary.

It is a different approach to egg laying.

Still many species of skink can do this. This is hardly breaking news and the title seems pretty sensationalist. I reckon if you take the egg layers up the mountain they will start incubating those eggs too. This doesn't seem like a new trait developing in a distinct population to me.

 

[Pakka]

That's awesome! Best example of micro evolution I've seen so far. Fails as macro evolution proof though.

 

[Keeper]

That's awesome! Best example of micro evolution I've seen so far. Fails as macro evolution proof though.

Sorry, but evolution is evolution.

You might as well say "I don't believe people can grow old.... sure, we all age a little bit each day... but that fails to prove that we can one day live to be 85."

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Sorry, but evolution is evolution.

You might as well say "I don't believe people can grow old.... sure, we all age a little bit each day... but that fails to prove that we can one day live to be 85."

+1.

While this adaptation is small, add up a bunch of small adaptations over a very long time and something interesting happens.

 

[CoolBug]

That's awesome! Best example of micro evolution I've seen so far. Fails as macro evolution proof though.

I ask this, what would be an example of macro evolution? A fish with hands perhaps?

 

[wily me]

So when did the transition take place? Did they see or experience it?

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

So when did the transition take place? Did they see or experience it?

How do you mean "see" a transition like this?

 

[wily me]

How do you mean "see" a transition like this?

Like you Pro evolutionists I just waffle on and mean nothing at all. This seems to me like someone is really clutching at straws. Strawman, sight!

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Like you Pro evolutionists I just waffle on and mean nothing at all. This seems to me like someone is really clutching at straws. Strawman, sight!

Okay, you lost me there.

I will just try and simplify how I see this. Take a single species, divide the population in half, put each half in different environments. If you see one population has adaptations that the other does not it becomes quite apparent that a biological process is at play here.

Obviously I'm referring to very large time scales here, so you don't just witness it as if it were morphing in front of your eyes.

 

[wily me]

Okay, you lost me there.

I will just try and simplify how I see this. Take a single species, divide the population in half, put each half in different environments. If you see one population has adaptations that the other does not it becomes quite apparent that a biological process is at play here.

Obviously I'm referring to very large time scales here, so you don't just witness it as if it were morphing in front of your eyes.

I agree 100% with what you say, hardly evolution but rather adaption. That the correct description I think.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

I agree 100% with what you say, hardly evolution but rather adaption. That the correct description I think.

What would you call it then when a species makes many adaptations? I guess you could call it something like The Biological Process of Adaptation. Only thing is that they already have a name for it, they call it Evolution by Natural Selection.

 

[Keeper]

hardly evolution but rather adaption. That the correct description I think.

You have no idea how evolution works it seems.
It might seem that way to people who don't understand evolution, but animals NEVER "adapt" as such

A zebra doesn't adapt to get stripes to be camouflaged over time.... the zebras with better camouflage simply just survive more on average.
Genes do not adapt with an end-plan, the best genes just win out the weak ones.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

You have no idea how evolution works it seems.
It might seem that way to people who don't understand evolution, but animals NEVER "adapt" as such

No man Keeper, you're making things complicated again

 

[OrbitalDawn]

I agree 100% with what you say, hardly evolution but rather adaption. That the correct description I think.

It's genetic change over successive generations, thus evolution.

 

[phoneJunky]

Hasn't an article about this been posted here about six months to a year ago?

But still, it is a good example of how species adapt to their surroundings over successive generations. Recorded (visually observed) data will probably go a long way more than recorded fossilized data.