Verified Document

Argument On Common Ancestry Between Chameleons And Crocodiles Essay

Evolution of Two Species From a Common Ancestor Charles Darwin is known to have theorized on one of the most controversial, yet longest lasting theory explaining the origin of species. He suggested, through the tree of life hypothesis that all organism on earth might have originated from a common ancestor. There are similarities among the various species that made Darwin to have such a hypothesis and in the context of this paper, the crocodile and the chameleon will be discussed as having the same ancestry with adaptations coming up to help them survive in the varied environments.

According to the evolutionary tree, the crocodile and the chameleons must have had a common ancestry (Robert N. & Jerome K., 2014:Pp46). The crocodile over the years would walk on two legs, but adopted the low quadrupedal in order to have an easier and less noticeable entrance into the large water bodies to hunt for food a long the shores without the prey noticing. The chameleon...

Both the chameleon and the crocodiles rely on their stealth to hunt and both have feet that are adopted for this purpose hence the possibility of a common ancestor.
The shape of the jaw of the crocodile has over the years evolved to give it more grasp on the prey, subduing the prey and hence survival in terms of food. The same applies to the chameleon who has a similar shaped mouth with powerful jaws that can grasp large prey relative to the size of the chameleon. This is yet another common evolution trend that indicates that they must have had a similar ancestor hence forming such evolutionary adaptations to the changing environment that presented lesser food and yet they both had to perpetuate their species. It is also worth noting that both the chameleon and the crocodile have upward-pointing nostrils, a feature that helps the crocodile to swim with ease and breath without being noticed as it hunts.

The other aspect that brings the two together in terms of ancestry is the aspect of mimicry for protection and survival. The crocodile has a back that resembles a floating log and can easily be passed without being noticed, a feature that helps the crocodile to be an effective hunter without the prey noticing, only to nab them through the element of surprise, the mimicry is a significant feature of…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Charles Darwin Is One of the Founding
Words: 1394 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

Charles Darwin is one of the founding fathers of psychology. Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12th, 1809 and died on April 19th 1882 ("Wikipedia"). Darwin's was the grandson of Erasmus Darwin who was an intellectual figure in the history of science. His father was a well respected, successful physician. Charles Darwin comes from a line of intellectual men and was expected to do great things.

Charles Darwin This Year Marked
Words: 1320 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

" The article also discusses the scientist John Tyndall, who with others in the British Advancement for the Society of Scientists, strongly supported Darwin. If it is admitted that matter has power attributed to it, where did it get that power? There can only be one answer, or the existence of a Devine Being. Similarly, if it is assumed that matter has developed into form and life, it regulates its procedure

Charles Darwin by Peter Bowler
Words: 2326 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Bowler, Charles Darwin Peter Bowler's study Charles Darwin: The Man and His Influence intends to give an accurate portrait of the ideas of the nineteenth-century naturalist within their historical context, while also correcting certain misconceptions and myths. To a certain extent, Bowler is writing a recognizable type of work -- a history of science that emphasizes twentieth century notions about the history of science, namely that new ideas do not emerge

Instinct Theory Charles Darwin the
Words: 1098 Length: 4 Document Type: Thesis

I was working well as an application tester, but my wish was to be advanced and work as a business analyst. As such, some of my activity was dedicated to proving to my boss that I would be performing better and more efficiently as a business analyst rather than as a software tester. This did not mean that I would be able to perform less well on my current

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Charles Darwin Origin of Species
Words: 1787 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Charles Darwin, Origin of Species There are many themes which readers can discern in Mary Shelley's inestimable work of literature, Frankenstein. They include the virtues of humanity vs. The vices of monstrosity, the power and effect of family and "community" (Bentley 325), as well as the considerable ramifications of ambition and work. However, the prudent reader will perceive that the principle motif unifying all of these themes, and

John Dewey When Charles Darwin
Words: 1754 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

This understanding could be tested and verified, as well as communicated to others. In addition to biology, other disciplines adopted this process, including philosophy, and now are consumed by its principles; and one of its overriding principles is the idea of constant criticism. Dewey stated that criticism's value lay in the fact that "it continuously provides the instruments for the criticism of those values - whether of beliefs, institutions,

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now