From: “Force-Talk” in Evolutionary Explanation: Metaphors and Misconceptions
Trait gain | Trait loss | Follow-up questions |
---|---|---|
A species of snails (animals) is poisonous. How would biologists explain how this species evolved from an ancestral species of snails that was not poisonous? | A species of flightless birds (birds that cannot fly, such as penguins) is closely related to bird species that are able to fly. How would biologists explain how a flightless bird species originated from an ancestral bird species that could fly? | Please explain what you mean by the term “pressure/pressured/pressures/pressuring” and how it fits into your explanation. |
Most living oak species (plants) produce nuts. How would biologists explain how an oak tree species with nuts evolved from an ancestral species that did not produce nuts? | Thorns are completely absent in one rose species (plants). How would biologists explain how this thornless species evolved from an ancestral rose species with thorns? | |
One species of prosimians (animals) has long tarsi. How would biologists explain how this species with long tarsi evolved from an ancestral species of prosimian that had short tarsi? | In one species of Suricata (animals), a pollex is absent. How would biologists explain how the Suricata species without a pollex evolved from an ancestral species of Suricata with a pollex? | |
Dodders, a plant species, have haustoria. How would biologists explain how the dodder species with haustoria evolved from an ancestral species that lacked haustoria? | One species of Labiatae plants is known to lack pulegone. How would biologists explain how this species evolved from a closely related ancestral plant species that had pulegone? |