Metamorphosis and Cool Amphibians
Alright so lets think amphibians. Amphibian meaning "two lifed". "Two lifed" meaning metamorphosis that's right ladies and gents today metamorphosis is the discussion. Now some people beleive that metamorphosis is connected to evolution, which is an interesting idea, but honestly in metamorphosis we see no change of kind at all. We see one thing (a larvae) turning into another thing (an adult). We don't see any change of kind but rather a change in maturity. Tadpoles can't breed. I know big surprise there right! Metamorphosis can be categorized as many things such as: adaptation, maturing, a genetic cycle, a change in structure, and even just simply growth. You seen think of a tadpole as a fetus.
They are both not fully developed they are both still growing and are both obtaining nutrients to grow. However, unlike a fetus a tadpole is more vulnerable to their surroundings such as elements and predators. Considering tadpoles live in the water it is very slim that they would ever starve to death considering they just simply graze on algae. The point I am trying to get across is that metamorphosis is in no way connected to evolution. Metamorphosis is simply just growth. In fact I would go out even farther and say it is not even micro evolution, but just simply growth. Because unlike micro evolution the genes of a tadpole turning into a frog have been constant as far as any historical science can record. Unlike Darwin's finches that adapted different genes after constant breeding, tadpoles will always try to turn into frogs no matter what you do to their surroundings. Now after several years a frog could adapt to their surroundings by maybe changing size or color, but still the genes of a tadpole will always try develop organisms to become a frog, unless mutation occurs, which in the case would probably end up killing the tadpole.
Now of course nature is always containing rule breakers to throw everything off balance. There are some species of frogs found in various parts of the world called Microhylidae. Now these frogs completely skip that tadpole step I was just talking about. So yes all tadpoles turn into frogs but thanks to these cool little guys not all frogs come from tadpoles. |
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/microhylid-frog-with-eggs-high-res-stock-photography/128596109 (photo creds. too Michael McCoy) Here is a female guarding her eggs. For more info on these little guys check out this link: http://amphibiaweb.org/lists/Microhylidae.shtml
Okay so lets talk about salamanders real quick. So unlike frogs there is a variety of salamanders that stay aquatic through adulthood. Examples of these wood be Axolotls and Olms, which are are very interesting aquatic specimens (for more info on Axolotls check out this link: http://www.axolotl.org/tiger_salamander.htm) Now Olms also know as (Promius Anguinus) are very interesting because they are the only aquatic salamanders in Europe, which is pretty impressive. Now don't get me wrong all salamanders and newts are mostly aquatic in fact most amphibians are, but what I am talking about here is that these salamanders (Axolotl and the Olm) do not under normal circumstances lose their gills and gain lungs. Instead these two species keep their external gills and live their lives in the water. Other then that most salamanders mature in the same way frogs do. They hatch from a gooey egg and then have an aquatic like larvae stage and then mature into a permanent adult stage that consist on land.
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Here is a picture of some Olms and an Axolotl, notise those external gills. http://cellularscale.blogspot.com/2012/02/you-cant-trust-your-receptors-smell.html --- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl
Now apparently there are ways you can get an axolotl to mature into a less aquatic salamander there rumors that you can introduce the axolotl to certain chemicals or to slowly remove the water in the axolotl's tank. I recommend you do not try to do this as it may end up killing the axolotl, but if you are curious how that exactly works then clibk on the first axolotl link that I posted.
Well thats all I have for tonight guys! I hope you guys enjoyed this. I know I did! There is so much on metamorphosis that you can research on and i tried to touch on it as much as I could! So feel free to follow or subscribe and share the post with friends. Oh! and by the way check out this crazy video on axolotls!
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