A study led by the University of Roma Tor Vergata has identified a new species of pink iguanas native to the Galapagos Islands that provides new insight into Darwin's theory of natural selection.These pink iguanas with black stripes were first seen in 1986 and rarely thereafter. Researchers have linked them through genetic analysis with other iguana species native to the islands, and estimate the species diverged about five million years ago. The new species provides evidence for the earliest evolutionary split among the archipelago's rich spectrum of life.
Charles Darwin developed his theory of natural selection and species specialization during a visit to the Galapagos in 1835. He studied the beaks of the native finches and how the various species each adapted in shape and structure to the environments and local food of individual islands. Darwin never observed this new iguana species.
Less than 40 pink iguanas have been documented to date, all living around a 350,000-year-old volcano.
This study appeared in a recent edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Photo: Yahoo! News
No comments:
Post a Comment