Evolution in Action: Ring Species

This video presents to the layman an example of evolution as an ongoing process: The Ensatina salamanders surrounding California's Central Valley.

CORRECTION: Approximately 42 seconds into the video, I made a geographical error. I incorrectly say, "... the San Francisco and San Juaquin Valleys ..." when what I MEANT to say was "... the Sacramento and San Juaquin Valleys."

CREDITS: Salamander photos © Gary Nafis. Used with permission.

Watch Pandacraft's video for a more rigorous look at this species:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XuMCVjGX3Y

Category:

Education

Tags:

• evolution
• action
• ring
• species
• ensatina
• eschscholtzii
• salamander
• California
• speciation
• escholtzii
• evidence
• parapatric

[jamesrking1]

The theory of the evolution of species remains a very popular theory by many people. A theory cannot be proven or has not yet been proven by positive reproducible evidence. There are indeed many varieties of these salamanders . Isolated populations of many different animals reproduce into colors and sizes that are very different from the populations in other areas. So far man has not proved this variation can change one kind of animal into a different type. Salamander to lizard has not .

[phoenixshade3]

@jamesrking1: You are completely missing the most important point: At the extremes of the ring, where two populations overlap, THEY DO NOT INTERBREED. They are reproductively isolated. Without gene flow between the populations, they will continue to diverge.

I don't know why I even try to explain these things to fundamentalists. They either refuse to understand or are too stupid to understand. Either way, it's a lost cause...

[Wanda7771]

Where's the proof positive that these creatures all came from the same original pair? Were you there to witness these "events?" Or is that a supposition?

[phoenixshade3]

@Wanda7771: Apparently you didn't actually pay attention to the video. There is a continuum over which adjacent salamander populations interbreed, but at the southern end of the ranges, where they do not. And evolution doesn't have any "original pair." That's a projection of your own beliefs. Do you have an proof positive that YOU came from some "original pair?" (Hint: A bronze age collection of myths doesn't count.)

[pistolpete667]

on every video about evolution there is some fundamentalist idiot trying to refute it like theyre going to change facts. debunking evoltion doesnt make the adam and eve story true. the seem to always get away from that

[TheFifthApes]

"Macroevolution" doesn't mean "new major structures". It means 'evolution between species', aka "Speciation", [in contrast, micro-evolution means evolution within species], which this video does an excellent job of explaining.

De-Evolution isn't possible. Evolution means "Change over time". How can something de-change?

[BronyEditor]

@jamesrking1 Evolution has nothing to do with the origin of life. You're thinking of Abiogenesis.

[ConnorLong90]

I'm surprised at all the bullshit in the comments section. I just wanted to learn about salamanders.

You guys who are saying animals can't change into other animals.. You know chihuahuas came from wolves, right?

[jamesrking1]

Spontaneous generation of life is also a theory that has an often neglected position in the Darwinian evolution of life.

[MagnusNyborg]

@jamesrking1 what keeps the species to keep diverging as evolution continues?

Thet is the key point, because if change can not be stopped, then eventually the changes will become very large, even large enough that distinctly different speicies will show.

[dedokta]

@jamesrking1 Can't be bothered pointing out all the fallacies within your comment, so I'll just say - You're completely wrong!

[CrikeyTomatoes]

@whiteliketar The data is supported, it's not just one guy going "well i guess that's how it happened" it's obvious you have little knowledge of the actual amount of evidence and what it actually is. Also It's not about atheism, it's about observing the world. It simply confuses me how anyone could look through the mountains of evidence showing evolution happens and still deny that it clearly happens. This isn't about your god or some religion, It's about what we clearly see.

[whiteliketar]

@CrikeyTomatoes - what does truth have to do with that - intrpreting data in a specific way to suit a corrupted world view - any atheist can do that. lol

[CrikeyTomatoes]

Kent Hovind fanboys need to learn about Kent Hovind.