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Evolution in Your FaceLake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, is home to more than 300 species of cichlids. These fish, which are popular in aquariums, are deep-bodied and have one nostril, rather than the usual two, on each side of the head. Seismic profiles and cores of the lake taken by a team headed by Thomas C. Johnson of the University of Minnesota, reveal that the lake dried up completely about 12,400 years ago. This means that the rate of speciation of cichlid fishes has been extremely rapid: something on average of one new species every 40 years!
by Patrick Huyghe
Omni
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For TOS. Be interesting to find out what happened, i.e. greater mutation rate, or much stronger selection, to drive the differentiation.
And, does this have any implications for genetic clocks and estimated times at which species branch off of larger groups?
...and lots, lots, more.
Cheers!