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**TheOldSalt** · 03-10-2005, 02:08 PM

Yes, quite right.
Form follows function, after all, and a great many of the organisms on this planet may look very similar while not being even distantly related.

Adaptive evolution is a tricky process. It can only happen very slowly, of course, but it has to happen quickly enough to allow for the survival of the species.
For example, the polar icebergs are literally crawling with oodles and oodles of very colorful and fascinating small creatures. unfortunately, they have proven most difficult to study, for a temperature variance of only 2 or 3 degrees F will KILL them. THAT's specialization. While global warming may be slow enough to allow for many other species to adapt, these little critters will likey die. By the way, it has been postulated, rather credibly, that about 25% of the earth's species will be extinct within 50 years. Amazing, eh?

Passionflowers have evolved significantly just in the last 150 years or so. It was in response to the arrival of a new butterfly to it's range, the caterpillars of which found passionflower leaves very tasty. It is a fascinating story, and also very creepy, for the only logical explanation for it simply makes no sense. The evolutionary battle between these two species has been measurable at many points in the past century.

There is also a moth which has changed it's coloration to enable it to hide against the bark of trees which have been changed in color by pollution.

The point is that evolution can occur with surprising swiftness sometimes, but it usually doesn't.
There are of course those who insist that evolution does not exist, but evidence to the contrary is pretty overwhelming. Besides, would God have gone to all the trouble to create the lifeforms of earth, a monumental task, no doubt, only to fail to give them a way to survive the inevitable changes they would face? I think He's smarter than that. Besides, He probably gets a kick out of seeing what happens to them, I would think.

Please don't let this thread degrade into yet another religious debate.

Anyway, back to jellyfish. Yes, they live in saltwater mostly, but also brackish, and even in at least one freshwater lake in the indo-pacific. There are also some hydroids which resemble jellies, but aren't.

03-10-2005, 02:08 PM	#15
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,234	Re: freshwater jellyfish?? Yes, quite right. Form follows function, after all, and a great many of the organisms on this planet may look very similar while not being even distantly related. Adaptive evolution is a tricky process. It can only happen very slowly, of course, but it has to happen quickly enough to allow for the survival of the species. For example, the polar icebergs are literally crawling with oodles and oodles of very colorful and fascinating small creatures. unfortunately, they have proven most difficult to study, for a temperature variance of only 2 or 3 degrees F will KILL them. THAT's specialization. While global warming may be slow enough to allow for many other species to adapt, these little critters will likey die. By the way, it has been postulated, rather credibly, that about 25% of the earth's species will be extinct within 50 years. Amazing, eh? Passionflowers have evolved significantly just in the last 150 years or so. It was in response to the arrival of a new butterfly to it's range, the caterpillars of which found passionflower leaves very tasty. It is a fascinating story, and also very creepy, for the only logical explanation for it simply makes no sense. The evolutionary battle between these two species has been measurable at many points in the past century. There is also a moth which has changed it's coloration to enable it to hide against the bark of trees which have been changed in color by pollution. The point is that evolution can occur with surprising swiftness sometimes, but it usually doesn't. There are of course those who insist that evolution does not exist, but evidence to the contrary is pretty overwhelming. Besides, would God have gone to all the trouble to create the lifeforms of earth, a monumental task, no doubt, only to fail to give them a way to survive the inevitable changes they would face? I think He's smarter than that. Besides, He probably gets a kick out of seeing what happens to them, I would think. Please don't let this thread degrade into yet another religious debate. Anyway, back to jellyfish. Yes, they live in saltwater mostly, but also brackish, and even in at least one freshwater lake in the indo-pacific. There are also some hydroids which resemble jellies, but aren't.