4 ms·

I'm guessing, some lower form of life, pre dolphin must have mutated the ability, but useless to them. Down the line, the dolphin was finally mutated, still hav

I'm guessing, some lower form of life, pre dolphin must have mutated the ability, but useless to them. Down the line, the dolphin was finally mutated, still having the same.

Waterluvian 9y ago
If a mutation is useless it is unlikely to proliferate.
- ams6110 9y ago
  It could, assuming it was not overtly harmful
- have_faith 9y ago
  Is it not possible for a combination of positive attributes to produce a useless attribute as a consequence, but the surplus attribute can't disappear as it's a manifestation of positive evolutionary traits that give you an advantage?
- carbocation 9y ago
  Fixation of a neutral allele within the population is proportional to its frequency in the population. So, even something that is initially useless can linger in the population, and even become fixed within the population. If that neutral allele is lingering in the population at a low frequency and suddenly becomes advantageous, there will subsequently be strong signals of selection at that locus.
  - ntelson1s 9y ago
    I only wish this comment was higher up. Thanks.
- overcast 9y ago
  That's not true at all. http://www.medicaldaily.com/10-useless-human-body-parts-what-you-do-and-dont-need-297264 http://www.medicaldaily.com/10-useless-human-body-parts-what...
jonnathanson 9y ago
Cetaceans are thought to have evolved from semi-aquatic land mammals. (Prehistoric hippos, more or less.) It seems reasonable to assume that traits like larger lung capacity and higher CO2 tolerance were gradual, incremental gains that allowed these animals to venture further and further off-shore to hunt, or allowed them to stay submerged for longer and longer periods of time. Those with the mutant traits outcompeted the rest, and this process was cumulative. Whether concurrently or shortly thereafter, evolution transformed hands and feet into flippers. To this day, whales have vestigial arm, wrist, hand, and finger bones in their front flippers. Baby whales of certain species are also born with a very light amount of fur, which they shed a few weeks after birth. Cetacean evolution is a fascinating topic.

I'm guessing, some lower form of life, pre dolphin must have mutated the ability, but useless to them. Down the line, the dolphin was finally mutated, still having the same.

Waterluvian 9y ago

If a mutation is useless it is unlikely to proliferate.

ams6110 9y ago
It could, assuming it was not overtly harmful
have_faith 9y ago
Is it not possible for a combination of positive attributes to produce a useless attribute as a consequence, but the surplus attribute can't disappear as it's a manifestation of positive evolutionary traits that give you an advantage?
carbocation 9y ago
Fixation of a neutral allele within the population is proportional to its frequency in the population. So, even something that is initially useless can linger in the population, and even become fixed within the population. If that neutral allele is lingering in the population at a low frequency and suddenly becomes advantageous, there will subsequently be strong signals of selection at that locus.
- ntelson1s 9y ago
  I only wish this comment was higher up. Thanks.
overcast 9y ago
That's not true at all. http://www.medicaldaily.com/10-useless-human-body-parts-what-you-do-and-dont-need-297264 http://www.medicaldaily.com/10-useless-human-body-parts-what...

jonnathanson 9y ago

Cetaceans are thought to have evolved from semi-aquatic land mammals. (Prehistoric hippos, more or less.) It seems reasonable to assume that traits like larger lung capacity and higher CO2 tolerance were gradual, incremental gains that allowed these animals to venture further and further off-shore to hunt, or allowed them to stay submerged for longer and longer periods of time. Those with the mutant traits outcompeted the rest, and this process was cumulative. Whether concurrently or shortly thereafter, evolution transformed hands and feet into flippers. To this day, whales have vestigial arm, wrist, hand, and finger bones in their front flippers. Baby whales of certain species are also born with a very light amount of fur, which they shed a few weeks after birth. Cetacean evolution is a fascinating topic.