Diet played a key role in the evolution of the vast beetle family tree
  • mozz
    10•15 days ago

    Because beetles OP

    • Hard shell
    • Compact shape for pushing through stuff
    • Can fly
    • Eats anything vegetable

    Specific niche gang get lost

  • @Paragone@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6•15 days ago

    My theory is that it’s the possible terrestrial-equivalent to carcination ( the convergent-evolution of “crabs” evolving 6 separate times, in the sea, from different origins ).

    I’ve no idea if cladistics will back that,

    and don’t really care,

    but it seems that convergent-evolution would operate both in the air and in the water, so … possible … why not, eh?

    • @mojofrododojo@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1•15 days ago

      Yep, success is success, in any medium. convergent evolution can be found wherever we find life, from vents to the upper atmosphere. Terrestrial biology has had four and a half billion years to try everything, and try it in 50 different ages. Where characteristics impart a benefit to passing on genes, it’ll probably find success.

      I wonder after all those billions of years if we’ve had all the options tried, or if we’re just getting going. Probably depends on having a viable ecosystem tho. :|