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Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

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Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#21

Even more wild to me is that saber-toothed cat-like predators evolved seven separate times: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saber-toothed_predator

There was a recent article on here about how species that looked alike were not necessarily related and is was more common to have physically dissimilar but geographically close species that were evolutionary relatives. One of the points was that convergent evolution was more common than people thought. These stories appear to support the convergent evolution assertion

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#23
post #19

> But it still poses the question: What makes the crab shape so successful that species keep trying to emulate it? That's not how evolution works. Survival of the fittest isn't about aspiration. It's what's left when the fittest are left standing.

Quoted post unavailable.

“Selection” is a very easily misunderstood technical term which overlaps with concepts people often find more familiar. “Natural” is basically whatever anyone wants it to mean. Without intentional study, basic foundations of evolutionary biology are easily misinterpreted. To the extent I can give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re an outlier and understand it better… you’re an outlier. Not the people who you’re judging.

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#24
post #12

Can you guys please not take the bait by posting unsubstantive comments? We've changed the silly title (edit: I meant the article's own linkbaity title) to a more interesting sentence from the article body.

No post body was provided.

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#26

Even more wild to me is that saber-toothed cat-like predators evolved seven separate times: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saber-toothed_predator

"Dirk cats" were featured in the sci-fi series starting with Souls in the Great Machine, another convergence to a saber-toothed feline.

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#27
post #24
post #12

Can you guys please not take the bait by posting unsubstantive comments? We've changed the silly title (edit: I meant the article's own linkbaity title) to a more interesting sentence from the article body.

Quoted post unavailable.

Downgraded again? The damned authors must be in bizdev.

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#28

> But it still poses the question: What makes the crab shape so successful that species keep trying to emulate it? That's not how evolution works. Survival of the fittest isn't about aspiration. It's what's left when the fittest are left standing.

The question is phrased in a dumb way, but I think there's a kernel of a fair question in there. Evolution is the how and why, but it doesn't answer what about the crab shape makes crabbiness so effective.

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#29
post #24
post #12

Can you guys please not take the bait by posting unsubstantive comments? We've changed the silly title (edit: I meant the article's own linkbaity title) to a more interesting sentence from the article body.

Quoted post unavailable.

> misunderstanding of their culture

Maybe it’s just your culture?

Re: Crabs evolved at least five times from separate groups of crustaceans (2021)

#30
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

> misunderstanding of their culture Maybe it’s just your culture?

Yeah, I would say I come from the ancient hacker culture. Don't be too critical of that, as RMS and the GPL are full derivatives of that culture. And the products of the GPL have been sorta useful to the HN community.

Or at least the programming side. The others were there back then, but they weren't interest in hacking, just in counting.

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