Natural selection in great white sharks
Natural Selection in Great White Sharks
Nicole Perry
Natural selection: a mechanism for the evolution of a population to become better adapted to their local environment over many generations. Some of the main principles of natural selection are variation, overpopulation, adaptation, and descent with modifications. Great white sharks are one of the most abiding success stories. The earliest ancestors of modern day sharks can be traced back about 425 million years ago, leaving a long period of time for the specie to evolve and natural selection to occur. One important thing to remember is populations evolve, individuals do not. The changes, however, are not too extreme.
One of the traits sharks have developed through natural selection is their skin color. Their skin color represents a type of camouflage called counter-shadowing. Great White Sharks have a dark gray coloring on the top of their body and a white bottom, hence the name Great White Shark. This coloring breaks up their outline in the water making them difficult to see. They blend in with darker sea-floor when they are viewed from above. Blending in with lighter surfaces when viewed from below is another perk of this trait.
Another trait they developed through natural selection is their upper jaw is not fused to their skull but held in place by flexible connective tissues that allows form them to protrude outward from their head, extending their reach and their bite radius! This can be especially helpful when hunting prey. The ancestor of the Great White Shark is actually believed not to swim as much. This is evident by the shape and size of the fin. They had to evolve through natural selection, or “survival of the fittest,” to move long distances. They also are torpedo shaped with powerful tails that can propel them through the water at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.
Another development is a larger brain. This is very important because more than 2/3 of the size of a shark’s brain is for the senses. The Great White Shark’s ancestor also had smooth teeth, which leads scientists to believe they ate plants. Modern sharks today have sharp, triangular teeth that they must have developed to eat meat and better the way they hunt their prey. One thing that did not change about the teeth of sharks is the number of teeth. Sharks have around 300 teeth, and always have.
These sharks also have electroreceptors, another exciting characteristic. Electroreceptors are sensory organs that allow them to detect hidden prey by sensing the minute electrical signals they give off. Another cool characteristic of these sharks are they are endothermic, meaning they can regulate their blood temperature. There are networks of arteries and veins on either side of the sharks, which keep the blood warm, allowing them to retain metabolic heat. This process allows them to conserve energy for hunting, allowing sudden bursts of speed that propels them into the air when hunting seals.
As you can see, Great White Sharks have a long evolutionary timeline. They have developed numerous helpful traits through the process of natural selection, also known as survival of the fittest. Great White Sharks have had a very long period of time to evolve and make changes needed to best survive in their environment.
Nicole Perry
Natural selection: a mechanism for the evolution of a population to become better adapted to their local environment over many generations. Some of the main principles of natural selection are variation, overpopulation, adaptation, and descent with modifications. Great white sharks are one of the most abiding success stories. The earliest ancestors of modern day sharks can be traced back about 425 million years ago, leaving a long period of time for the specie to evolve and natural selection to occur. One important thing to remember is populations evolve, individuals do not. The changes, however, are not too extreme.
One of the traits sharks have developed through natural selection is their skin color. Their skin color represents a type of camouflage called counter-shadowing. Great White Sharks have a dark gray coloring on the top of their body and a white bottom, hence the name Great White Shark. This coloring breaks up their outline in the water making them difficult to see. They blend in with darker sea-floor when they are viewed from above. Blending in with lighter surfaces when viewed from below is another perk of this trait.
Another trait they developed through natural selection is their upper jaw is not fused to their skull but held in place by flexible connective tissues that allows form them to protrude outward from their head, extending their reach and their bite radius! This can be especially helpful when hunting prey. The ancestor of the Great White Shark is actually believed not to swim as much. This is evident by the shape and size of the fin. They had to evolve through natural selection, or “survival of the fittest,” to move long distances. They also are torpedo shaped with powerful tails that can propel them through the water at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.
Another development is a larger brain. This is very important because more than 2/3 of the size of a shark’s brain is for the senses. The Great White Shark’s ancestor also had smooth teeth, which leads scientists to believe they ate plants. Modern sharks today have sharp, triangular teeth that they must have developed to eat meat and better the way they hunt their prey. One thing that did not change about the teeth of sharks is the number of teeth. Sharks have around 300 teeth, and always have.
These sharks also have electroreceptors, another exciting characteristic. Electroreceptors are sensory organs that allow them to detect hidden prey by sensing the minute electrical signals they give off. Another cool characteristic of these sharks are they are endothermic, meaning they can regulate their blood temperature. There are networks of arteries and veins on either side of the sharks, which keep the blood warm, allowing them to retain metabolic heat. This process allows them to conserve energy for hunting, allowing sudden bursts of speed that propels them into the air when hunting seals.
As you can see, Great White Sharks have a long evolutionary timeline. They have developed numerous helpful traits through the process of natural selection, also known as survival of the fittest. Great White Sharks have had a very long period of time to evolve and make changes needed to best survive in their environment.