Reverse Evolution

By Richard O’Reilly

What is Reverse Evolution?

What is Reverse Evolution?

Reverse evolution is when an organism loses a trait which it had earlier on.

Is it common to see reverse evolution in nature?

All though there are just a few examples of reverse evolution, it is happening.

Some organisms that have undergone reverse evolution are

A. Humans with Uner-Tan Syndrome

B. Three spined Stickleback

C. Cicada like bugs called “treehoppers”

UnerTan Sydrome

In Turkey, two families were found to have a syndrome called “Uner Tan”

These humans walked on all fours and were severely developmentally delayed being incapable of speech beyond primitive language.

The cerebellum and the vermis in the brain are missing.

This happens when there is a defect in the chromosome 17P, the biggest difference between chimps and humans.

Uner-Tan Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUYEVL_2wFk

Man with Uner-Tan

Three Spined Stickleback

The Threespine Stickleback is a fish that inhabits Lake Washington, near Seattle.

More than 50 years ago it lived in extremely polluted water and was protected from its greatest enemy the Cutthroat Trout.

Only 6% of the fish was plated

Today the lake is clean and the fish no longer have the dirty water to shield them from predators.

49% of the fish are fully plated , 35% are partially plated

Three Spined Stickleback Then and

Now!!!!

Why is this Reverse Evolution

The plates on the fish act as armor, this was a characteristic of fish prior to evolution, these plates are evolution in reverse.

Importance of Reverse Evolution

The Threespine Stickleback has gone through evolution in reverse in order to protect itself from being eaten by predators.

With the plates it is, less palatable

The armor enables it to survive.

“Tree hoppers”

Cicada like bugs called “Treehoppers” have grown back wing-like appendages they once had 200 million years ago!!!

These “wings” located on the first segment of the thorax and abdomen had disappeared and now there back. They are sometimes referred to as a “helmet”

This is the only known example of any insect that has regenerated a third pair of wings.

“Treehopper”

Positive Effects on Reverse Evolution

• Organisms such as the Stickleback and

the Treehopper have regrown armor in

the form of scales and helmeted wings to

protect them from predators.

• This has enabled them to survive and

propagate instead of becoming at risk.

Negative Aspects of Reverse Evolution

Individuals with Uner Tan Syndrome, have

reversed evolution as they are not bipedal and

their brains are missing vital sections that cause

them to be developmentally inferior to today’s

humans

Video Evidence of Reverse Evolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2BZRXIo5R4

References

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515120759.htm

http://phys.org/news/2011-05-evolution-reverse-insects-recover-lost.html

http://www.jofamericanscience.org/journals/am-sci/am0610/55_3443am0610_465_469.pdf

http://www.roche.com/media/media_releases/med_dia_2010-07-29.htm

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fPtvKkzppMM/TNzDcNrilXI/AAAAAAAAATg/dtUlz6aqe8w/s1600/VIDEO+CLIP+3.jpg