When Animals Evolve On Islands, Size Doesn't Matter

Science Daily ^ | 11-8-2007 | Imperial College London.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[donna]

LOL! Well, why did they believe it in the first place?

It sounds like a Brothers Grimm children’s fantasy. Miniature animals on miniature continents, heh.

[Resolute Conservative]

I forget who said, “Evolution will prove to be the biggest lie perpetrated on mankind.”

[Doomonyou]

Coconut Crab. Saw a great show on these on the discovery channel. Big!

[Alter Kaker]

Count down to the first drive-by creationst who comes along and pretends that the validity of all evolutionary theory hangs on the merits of insular dwarfism...

5...4...3....

[skinkinthegrass]

.

[Doc Savage]

Of course not. Macroevolution is NOT real!

[Alter Kaker]

It sounds like a Brothers Grimm children’s fantasy. Miniature animals on miniature continents, heh.

Because it's true.... there are lots of cases of miniature animals on islands. The Channel Islands off the coast of California, for example, were home to a miniature species of 4 foot tall mammoths, called the Pygmy Mammoth until just 12,000 years ago. Scientists thought that insular dwarfism and insular gigantism followed predictable rules. This study seems to indicate that maybe the situation is more complex.

[bert]

You forgot the wrong part. The misguided statement should be forgotten.

On topic, think Key deer

[Trueblackman]

All I need on that Island is some melted butter, beer and a crab cracker.

[Chili Girl]

Can’t wait to see how small people in Hawaii are in a couple years - lol.

[blam]

"The Channel Islands off the coast of California, for example, were home to a miniature species of 4 foot tall mammoths, called the Pygmy Mammoth until just 12,000 years ago"

George Carter claims to have found remnants of camp fires and charred bones where humans roasted those little guys.

13,000 year old Arlington Springs Man skeleton was found there too.

[doorgunner69]

Because it's true.... there are lots of cases of miniature animals on islands.

Hmmm, so how does all this explain all these monstrous Hawaiians at the gym? Feel like I am in a NFL weight room at times.

Whatever it is, they developed on an island in the opposite direction from miniaturization......

[Doomonyou]

I’ll bring the cook pot and the fire.

[blam]

Hobbits of Indonesia were different human species

[adorno]

A theory explaining the evolution of giant rodents, miniature elephants, and even miniature humans on islands has been called into questions by new research.

Oh well...

back to the evolution board.

[Red Badger]

Here's your Crab Cracker.....

[Red Badger]

There’s a triple pun in there if you think about it....

[Alter Kaker]

Hmmm, so how does all this explain all these monstrous Hawaiians at the gym?

Insular gigantism, a parallel but opposite phenomenon resulting from a lack of predators on some islands. Another Hawaiian example: Moa-nalo, a now-extinct species of giant Hawaiian ducks the size of small deer, so large they could only waddle around. No historical records exist reporting how they did in the gym.