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Evolution question - (Jan/26/2013 )

Seals are aquatic mammals that evolved from terrestrial mammals with legs. Seals
have appendages that are flipper-like (‘flippers’), which are adapted for movement in water.
Explain how the flippers may have evolved from legs of a terrestrial ancestor.

1)If you were to go back in time and examine a population of the ancestral species,
would all the individuals look the same? Describe the variation in the character within the
ancestral species that provided the ‘raw material’ for natural selection to occur.

2)What type (or types) of selection pressure would have favored the evolution of the
character of interest?

3)How would the character of interest allow the organism that had it to reproduce more
than an organism that lacked it?

-rahip4567-

Something to show that you have considered the questions and are working on them would be good - we won't just answer your questions as this doesn't help you learn to think...

-bob1-