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Orca Speciation

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

ORCA SPECIATION

BACKGROUND, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY

BACKGROUND

  • Orcas are the only species in the genus "orcinus" and the largest species in the dolphin family.
  • They are probably descended from carnivorous land animals called mesonychids. They looked like wolves but their feet were ungulates. They went deeper into water in search of food and over millions of years developed fins, lost their fur and their teeth modified.

WHEN

  • Started 60 million years in the Paleocene era
  • Continues to evolve in different ways

EXAMPLE

  • In the North Pacific, two sympatric ecotypes coexist. They are the mammal eating, and the fish eating, or resident ecotype.

WHERE

  • North Pacific and Antarctic seas
  • Studies also show the North Eastern Atlantic.

WHY

  • There is no real explanation, but they most likely evolved for survival purposes like new food and environments as well as to give them more flexibility in habitats
  • Most of the reason, is because of their differences in habitat, and food availability options.