What is the role of natural selection? Natural selection is the process by which individuals with better adaptations have a higher chance to reproduce and pass on more favorable traits. This all relates to the evolution of traits by organisms living in extreme or harsh environments, as many are forced to adapt to increase their chances to live on. Since the beginning, animals have been forced to increase fitness and evolve in order to survive. Famous scientist Bill Nye once said "evolution is the fundamental idea in all of life science."
The organism I have chosen is known as the Inland Taipan, otherwise known as the Fierce Snake. The Inland Taipan is found the Channel Country of southwestern Queensland and north-eastern South Australia. Inland Taipans prefer to make shelter in deep holes, dry-cracking clay, and floodplains. The Inland Taipan grows to an average size of 2 meters long.The Inland Taipan's diet consists mainly of small to medium mammals such as rats or mole rats. The Inland Taipan population depends on the population of its favorite prey, the Plague Rat. When the Plague Rat population goes up the Inland Taipan's population follows. The Inland Taipan lays about twelve to twenty eggs in abandoned holes.
The Inland Taipan has many adaptations such as its behavior, body structure, and the complexity behind their venom. The Inland Taipan has a strange and unpredictable personality. The Inland Taipan tends to be a shy snake who would rather be secluded than interact with others of the same species. Scientist consider the Inland Taipan the most intelligent species of snake, most likely due to its observational skills. The Inland Taipan also tends to be extremely cautious of its surroundings. Unless hunting it will flee if there are any disturbances to its habitat. The most common misconception of the Inland Taipan is its nickname. The nickname the "Fierce Snake" creates the idea that the snake is aggressive.
Over time, the Inland Taipan has physically adapted to benefit itself. Across the seasons the Inland Taipan changes its color. The changing of color helps the snake blend in along with regulating its body heat. In summer the Inland Taipan is a light golden color. In the winter, the Inland Taipan changes into a shade of black to help absorb heat into its cold blooded body. The Australian climate is extremely hot during the day so over time the Inland Taipan adapted by becoming nocturnal. If an Inland Taipan becomes aggravated it will completely flatten it's bones and organs, creating a seemingly bigger body to frighten off the predator. The Inland Taipan points its head at the predator as a last warning.
The Inland Taipan's venom is specially adapted to knock out warm-blooded animals. The venom of the Inland Taipan can kill one hundred men with a single drop. The venom is a deadly and highly potent combination of neurotoxins, hemotoxins, and procoagulants. The neurotoxins cause mass paralysis throughout the body shutting down organs and nerves. The hemotoxins force the body's tissues to break themselves down from the inside out. While the procoagulants start clotting blood flow, causing the victim to suffer internal bleeding. Although no death caused by the Inland Taipan has been reported, victims of the bite say it was one of the most painful experience of their lives. The deadly combination of venom helped create its name as the "Fierce Snake."
H.G Wells a famous author once said "Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative."Adaptation come to light in order to help an animal increase its fitness. Adaptations can range from improving the physical characteristics of the animals to the thought process of the organism. Overall, adaptations are meant benefit the animal's chance of survival.
Bibliography
"Bill Nye Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
"H. G. Wells Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
Sources
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/shorter/story.htm
http://australianmuseum.net.au/inland-taipan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_taipan
http://www.smuggled.com/TaipanR4.htm
