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Ninę incredible examples of animals that evolved and one that didn’t!

I ■ In just three million years, 14 finch species have evolved in the Galapagos Islands

\J ■ Over around 3.6 million years, Australian lizards called skinks lost their limbs. They spend most of their time “swimming” through sand or soil, so arms and legs just get in the way.

Large ground finch:

Lives on the ground and has a big beak for crushing large, hard seeds.

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Vegetarian finch:

Lives in trees and has a parrotlike beak for eating fruit and seeds.

Woodpecker finch:

Lives in trees and has a probing beak for finding and eating grubs and insects.

%# ■ Cane toads were introduced into Australia in 1935. Today’s toads have legs 10 percent longer than their ancestors’, so they are able to move faster and farther.

Medium tree finch:

Lives in trees and has a bill adapted for grasping insects, buds, and leaves.

Medium ground finch:

Lives on the ground. Its beak size shows natural selection in action (birds with larger beaks are morę successful during periods of drought).

Cactus finch:

Lives on cacti and has a beak suitable for eating cactus nectar, fruit, and seeds.

\J "TT ■ Whales may have evolved from a deerlike land mammal. Indohyus lived 47 million years ago and had an ear bonę like a whale’s.

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