Some evidence for evolution

A. Direct Observation of Microevolution Adaptation and Speciation Natural Selection (many examples, a few covered previously)

B. The Fossil Record - gives us much information stratification of fossils dating of fossils, sediments radiometric dating fission track dating electron spin resonance dating thermoluminescence dating

Sedimentary Layers – The Grand Canyon

Fossil Crinoid Stems and Brachiopods

A Trilobite (Odontochile formosa) from Lower Devonian of the Kinglake district (Source: Museum Victoria.) (Trilobites lived from the Cambrian – Permian; 545 – 251 mya)

Geologic Time Scale

Fission Track Dating of Uranium

The fossil record yields… transitional/intermediate forms, vertebrate examples (see http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html for in-depth treatment). pageant of whale (e.g. transitional Ambulocetus), and horse evolution (Illustrated on the following slides.) many hominid transitions (e.g. Australopithecus is transitional between Pan and Homo – we’ll study later) Archaeopteryx, Confuciousornis, Protopteryx are transitional between reptiles and birds (Illustrated in a few slides.) Eusthenopteron (fish) is linked to the early amphibian Icthyostega; Acanthostega Genera such as Probainognathus, Probelesodon and Massetognathus (cynodonts) are transitional between reptiles and mammals

Biogeographical Evidence coupled to fossil record hummingbirds marsupials

Quick note on the phenotype Vp = Vg + Ve + Vgxe g e p A ∙ M  X B ∙ M  Y A ∙ N  Y

Gradual versus punctuated evolution Gradual change over time Branching, punctuated change

Mesonychid – shared ancestry with whales

Ambulocetus

Rodhocetus, a predominantly aquatic whale from the Eocene (47 mya)

Vestigial pelvis and femur in modern whales

Many dinosaur bones have been found . . . (Ultrasaurus)

Archaeopteryx

Comparative anatomy The Adult Homology  having common ancestry but not necessarily retaining similarity of structure or function The Adult Examples: Mammalian forelimbs (“hands”) grasping hands of primates digging hands of moles locomotive hands of horses paddles of porpoises wings of bats Vertebrate hindlimb structure

Hind Limb Structure in Vertebrates Homo sapiens

The Embryo

SHARED CHARACTERISTICS AMONG SPECIES Bio-molecular Evidence Protein evidence Nucleic acid evidence Others… RELATIVE LEVEL OF SHARED CHARACTERISTICS AMONG SPECIES

DNA Phylogeny

EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION Fossil Record Comparative Anatomy (phenotype) physiology, anatomy, behavior, etc… Biogeographical Biochemical