Jones & Bartlett Publishers
by Chapter:
Evolution Links |
||
|
Chapter 19 - Evolution of Mammals
Horses have had an extremely interesting history through evolution. One can pull an impressive "thread of progress" from that history to show a progressive nature of evolution. However, when one examines the full spectrum of the evolution of horses, it is found that there were many divergences within the group and that the course of evolution was a clear linear path only if one chooses to look at it selectively.
(The site will open externally in a new window) The "dog family", Canidae, consists of 34 species within the Order Carnivora. The carnivores have a history of about 40 to 60 million years and the dogs seem to have been one of the early groups to be distinguished by evolution. Read about the strategies used to apply molecular techniques to the study of a very familiar mammalian family.
(The site will open externally in a new window) Considerable progress has been made in learning the evolutionary history of whales. A very recent study and find has revealed the relationship of the inner ear of whales to their evolution. The results suggest a surprising conclusion. Read this 2002 news release from the National Science Foundation. What surprises were there for biologists as they analyzed this new evidence? What are the whales' closest relatives among modern land mammals?
(The site will open externally in a new window) |
||
For Technical Help