Evidence of EvolutionBiogeography, Geology, and the Fossil Record

BiogeographyThe study of where organisms live now and where they and their ancestors lived in the past.

Families have characteristicsFamilies have characteristicsBoth on the outside and the inside...

Canidae - Dog FamilyYou can tell apart the different families (even species) of

mammals by their skulls - how the bones are arranged and shaped, and the types of teeth they have.

Patterns tell us storiesPatterns tell us storiesCamel FamilyCamel FamilyEvolution & Evolution & DistributionDistribution

50 million year old camel ancestor

South Dakota

Patterns tell us storiesPatterns tell us storiesCamel FamilyCamel FamilyEvolution & Evolution & DistributionDistribution

50 million year old camel ancestor

South Dakota

Closely Related but DifferentClosely Related but Different

One of the most

common salamanders in Oregon -

Ensatina eschscholtzii

Hangs-out in wet leaves, old logs, wood piles, and eats bugs....

Ensatina eschscholtzii The Oregon subspecies has the largest range in red...

Closely Related but DifferentClosely Related but DifferentDivergent Evolution

http://www.ensatina.net/FILES/ensatina.htm

Note how the map of the species

distribution (a) and genetic divergence (b) directly relates

to the map of the different

ecosystems in California (c).

This is EVIDENCE of biogeography!

Distantly Related but SimilarDistantly Related but SimilarConvergent Evolution

Distantly Related but SimilarDistantly Related but SimilarWhat Darwin called “Species vary globally.”

Distantly Related but SimilarDistantly Related but SimilarPangolin

AsiaGiant AnteaterSouth America

Distantly Related but SimilarDistantly Related but Similar

How old is old?How old is old?

Radioactive DatingRadioactive DatingEarth is 4.5 billion Earth is 4.5 billion oror4,500,000,000 years old.4,500,000,000 years old.

That’s plenty of time for...That’s plenty of time for...

Fossil Fossil EvidenceEvidenceEvidenceEvidence

Really now...Really now...