Often Called the Paddle Cactus, or prickly pear. The species evolved into 14 different types, reaching up to 40 feet. One kind (average height 4 ft.) can be found on Santa Cruz Island. It is the source of food and shelter for 2 species of finch, iguanas, etc. Yellow flowers develop into orange, thorn-covered fruit.
Waved Albatross
Is a very large bird, only found on Espanola Island. They have a very large wingspan of about 7 feet. Most notable for being spectacular flyers, spending most of their time in the air, stopping only top breed. Mostly brownish bodies, with a white head and distinctive yellow beak. Because of their large wings, they use large cliffs as a "runway" for flight.
Blue Parrotfish
One of about 90 species of fish that reside in relatively shallow, tropical waters. Named such for their distinctive beak-like mouth. They reside in various coral reefs around the galapagos.
Adaptive Radiation
In evolutionary biology this refers to multiple speciations from one common ancestor. In the galapagos this can be seen with the variety of wildlife–especially birds. A common ancestor bird would then, over time, evolve into several distinct species to fulfill various niches.
No comments:
Post a Comment