Evolution in Action: Lizard Moving From Eggs to Live Birth - Sorry God!

[LateX'Dog]

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.

Only two other modern reptiles—another skink species and a European lizard—use both types of reproduction. (Related: "Virgin Birth Expected at Christmas—By Komodo Dragon.")

Evolutionary records shows that nearly a hundred reptile lineages have independently made the transition from egg-laying to live birth in the past, and today about 20 percent of all living snakes and lizards give birth to live young only.

(See "Oldest Live-Birth Fossil Found; Fish Had Umbilical Cord.")

But modern reptiles that have live young provide only a single snapshot on a long evolutionary time line, said study co-author James Stewart, a biologist at East Tennessee State University. The dual behavior of the yellow-bellied three-toed skink therefore offers scientists a rare opportunity.

"By studying differences among populations that are in different stages of this process, you can begin to put together what looks like the transition from one [birth style] to the other."

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

Incredible.

 

[d_brennen]

inb4 "but, but, but God created evolution!"

 

[Amleto]

Lizard men are coming

 

[Theophany]

Aliens.

 

[ElliorR]

Satan at work.

 

[XeNoN89]

Damn reptilians

 

[Housey]

Look at any kid with tech, that's evolution right there. I see 3 year olds use iPads better than me. Scary.

 

[Gogl]

Evolution indeed, it's all part of my master plan.

 

[BunnyKillBot]

What does this have to do with biogenesis? You can't blame religiosity for misappropriating evolution for origin then do exactly the same thing, you total utter hypocrites. 'Sorry God' is completely out of context.

 

[No1newts]

Science 1 god 0

 

[Cosimo]

The beginning of the end.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Superb

 

[Spangles]

Strange how something like this, and as mentioned in the article, records of it happening before, is not so well publicised.

Does God have a super injunction on stuff like this?

 

[Stretch]

Look at any kid with tech, that's evolution right there. I see 3 year olds use iPads better than me. Scary.

That's not evolution. Evolution develops and consolidates adaptations over several generations. The modern computer has existed for less than 2 generations.

Kids are beeter with an iPad than you because children are better at learning than adults.

 

[kwerk]

Evolution smevolution.

I must have missed the part where they gave birth to a NEW SPECIES.

 

[Something Else]

 

[Fenris]

I must have missed the part where they gave birth to a NEW SPECIES.

Yes, because that is the definition of evolution.

Oh wait, lolkwerk.

 

[KIA]

 

[d_brennen]

Evolution smevolution.

I must have missed the part where they gave birth to a NEW SPECIES.

Yeah, because they need to spout wings over one generation or it isn't evolution, is it? Oh, wait, it's you

 

[Andy90]

Interesting, they seem to be going in the opposite direction to the Duck Billed Platypus - a mammal that lays eggs. It looks more like a case of adapting to the environment.