Biologists from the University of South Florida, together with Mexican scientists, studied rattlesnakes on uninhabited islands in the Gulf of California and discovered that these snakes are evolving simpler venoms. Contrary to the expectation that venoms would become more complex with increased biodiversity, the snakes are tuning their venoms to become more specialized for specific prey. This finding sheds light on adaptation in fragmented habitats and challenges previous notions of evolutionary complexity, providing insights into how isolation affects species development.
This isn't just about rattlesnakes; it's about understanding the fundamental ways life evolves when isolation and biodiversity start to shift.
We expected that snakes in areas with more biodiversity would have more complex venoms because they're eating more of that available diversity.
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