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I always found the idea of species "frozen in time", as crocodiles were often described, highly doubtful and uneducated. Rather, phenotypes may be similar. Wha
by hamilyon2 8y ago
I always found the idea of species "frozen in time", as crocodiles were often described, highly doubtful and uneducated.
Rather, phenotypes may be similar. What we know for sure, very similar phenotypes evolve via very different paths, e.g. eyes.
- flippyhead 8y agoI never thought of crocodiles as frozen in time as much as they have a body plan that is so well suited for their environment it is simply kept for want of any better design.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y agoYeah, if you are constantly evolving, but those offshoots aren't as effective as the root, evolution is still occurring, and if the environment changes the species will, but if you're at a high level of suitability, you'll remain as you are.
- radford-neal 8y agoThe fossils actually are quite limited regarding whether the phenotype has not changed much. Many traits, such as the nature of the immune system, do not fossilize well.