darwinii

These two sub-populations of Protamnio darwinii were about to diverge from each other, over a very long time and in a very big way.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

These two sub-populations of Protamnio darwinii were about to diverge from each other, over a very long time and in a very big way.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

The two sub-populations of Protamnio darwinii somehow became separated from each other, most likely by a geographical barrier such as a strip of sea separating two islands, or separating an island from a mainland.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

So, a zoologist of the time might have recognized that the island population had become a new species and given it a new name, say Protamnio saurops, while the old name, Protamnio darwinii, might have continued to serve for the mainland population.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

The two sub-populations of Protamnio darwinii somehow became separated from each other, most likely by a geographical barrier such as a strip of sea separating two islands, or separating an island from a mainland.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

So, a zoologist of the time might have recognized that the island population had become a new species and given it a new name, say Protamnio saurops, while the old name, Protamnio darwinii, might have continued to serve for the mainland population.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

This male Darwin's frog (Rhinoderma darwinii, VU) has just deposited froglets onto the ground from his vocal sac.

Biological diversity in the Chilean winter rainfall-valdivian forests 2009

When Protamnio darwinii split into two sub-populations they would have looked just the same as each other, and could have happily interbred with each other; but one lot were destined to give rise to the mammals, and the other lot were destined to give rise to the birds and dinosaurs and snakes and crocodiles.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

When Protamnio darwinii split into two sub-populations they would have looked just the same as each other, and could have happily interbred with each other; but one lot were destined to give rise to the mammals, and the other lot were destined to give rise to the birds and dinosaurs and snakes and crocodiles.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

Birds include the copetona or martineta común (Eudromia elegans), monterita canela (Poospiza ornata), inambú pálido or petiso (Nothrura darwinii), loro barranquero (Cyanoliseus patagonus), and others.

Argentine Monte 2007