Which Kind Of Selection Appears To Have Made Giraffes The Long Necked Creatures They Are Today?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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This is ‘

natural selection

‘. Consider the giraffe, for example. A Darwinian theory of evolution posits that it was through random variation that some giraffes had longer necks than others. Thanks to their long necks, they were able to reach leaves high up in the trees in their environment.

What type of selection would lead to the evolution of a long neck for giraffes quizlet?

Long necks is a heritable trait that would allow the stronger giraffes to survive and reproduce more offspring (fitness). This is

directional selection

because it drives the average of the population in one direction, in this case, toward longer necks. Changes the average value of a trait.

Is a giraffe an example of natural selection?

A classic example of natural selection at work is

the origin of giraffes’ long necks

. … Over many generations this process produced giraffes as they are today. This process of natural selection was first described by Charles Darwin in 1859 in On the Origin of Species.

Is giraffe neck natural selection?

The

giraffe’s long neck is a perfect adaptation to the animal’s natural habitat

. Clearly the giraffe evolved this uncommon and helpful trait in order to reach those nourishing leaves. That’s how natural selection works.

How is natural selection in the evolution of long necks in giraffes best explained?

In terms of the giraffe example, Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection would suggest that

a giraffe was born with a longer neck by random chance

. Because this individual had a longer neck, it was able to reach food sources that other animals couldn’t.

How do you explain natural selection?

Natural selection is the

process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change

. Individuals in a population are naturally variable, meaning that they are all different in some ways. This variation means that some individuals have traits better suited to the environment than others.

Would biologists say that giraffes have long necks because giraffes wanted to have long necks Why or why not 2 points?

Some people suggest giraffes’ long necks are a sort of early warning system, allowing them to spot approaching predators. Most biologists say this theory

is not likely

, though. They suspect we would see many more animals with long necks if this were a real advantage and useful form of self-protection.

What animals use natural selection?

  • Deer Mouse.
  • Warrior Ants. …
  • Peacocks. …
  • Galapagos Finches. …
  • Pesticide-resistant Insects. …
  • Rat Snake. All rat snakes have similar diets, are excellent climbers and kill by constriction. …
  • Peppered Moth. Many times a species is forced to make changes as a direct result of human progress. …
  • 10 Examples of Natural Selection. « previous. …

Is a giraffe’s tongue?

Giraffe use their

45-50 cm long prehensile tongue and the

roof of their mouths in order to feed on a range of different plants and shoots, most notably from Senegalia and Vachellia (formerly Acacia) species.

Why do we now see only giraffes with long necks?

It appears obvious: the giraffe’s neck, which can grow to as much as two metres in length, has been selected

because it gives its owner exclusive access to the topmost leaves of the trees, and no other animal can reach them

. This, then, is an adaptation designed to avoid competition for food with other animals.

Does a giraffe have more bones in its neck than a human?

Even though the neck of a giraffe can be eight feet long and weigh up to 600 pounds, they only have seven neck vertebrae – the

same number of neck bones that humans have

! But unlike our vertebrae, each of theirs can be up to 10 inches long. … A giraffe’s long neck allows it to eat leaves high in the trees.

Why are there no short necked giraffes?

But although their necks can measure up to 1.8 metres (6 feet) alone, they have, like most mammals, just seven neck vertebrae. Fossil evidence shows that, once upon a time,

giraffes had much shorter necks

. … Lamarck’s idea suggested they stretched their necks and passed the stretching down through generations.

Can short neck giraffes grow longer necks?

“From this habit long maintained in all its race, it has resulted that the animal’s fore-legs have become longer than its hind legs, and that its neck is lengthened.” In short, giraffes’

long necks

are the result of generation upon generation of repeated stretching and inheritance.

What type of selection is shown by giraffes?

This is ‘

natural selection

‘. Consider the giraffe, for example. A Darwinian theory of evolution posits that it was through random variation that some giraffes had longer necks than others. Thanks to their long necks, they were able to reach leaves high up in the trees in their environment.

Why are giraffes tongues black?


The front of a giraffe’s tongue is dark in colour

(purple, blue or black) but the back and base of it is pink. Although not scientifically proven yet, many experts believe that this darker pigment is nature’s way of protecting giraffe tongues against ultraviolet rays.

Why Lamarck theory was rejected?

Lamarck’s theory of evolution, also called as theory of inheritance of acquired characters was rejected

since he suggested that the acquired character which an organisms gain through its life experiences are transferred to its next generation

, which is not possible since acquired characters does not bring any change to …

Diane Mitchell
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Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.