Inner+Fish+Homework+MV

Molly Vaughn August 18, 2008 Human Biology

Regarding the Article: What people owe fish: A Lot (1) Describe at least three important PHYSICAL traits in humans that were found in fish first. - A big brain encased in a protective skull with all the sensory organs attached, in which the head was invented by the fish. - Humans have to eyes for binocular vision, to ears to find sound, and two nostrils to find scents, in which fish were the first to wear their senses in sets. - We have pairing of appendages such as biceps, triceps, rotating wrists, and opposable thumbs, which were found through fins on the side of the fish’s body. - They had fins on the side of the body. (2) Describe a SOCIAL trait in humans that was found in fish first. - There is a fish that is known as the “helper fish,” which has the duties of “defending territory, helping to keep the nests tidy and clean, to fan and oxygenate the breeding pair’s eggs.” When the eggs are hatched, the “helper fish” will take the babies in their mouth for cleaning. Although, it seems as if the “helper fish” have nothing in it for them, however, they do get protected from any predators and are allowed to stay in the territory with the breeding fish. The “helper fish” is some sort of a slave in human terms. - Cooperation with one another. (3) What is an African cichlid and what behavior do they have that resembles social behavior in humans. Describe. - The African cichlids are freshwater fish that are found in Tanganyika, which live in a group of 10 or more individuals. They have “helper fish,” which in human terms are more like maids/servants whom bring up the babies and take care of them while the parents are away and or breeding. - They live in large groups. - They have a mating partner. (4) Why is it interesting that female guppies may go through menopause? - It is interesting that female guppies may go through menopause because that means that they last longer than their reproductive life span just like human women whom also have menopause. This shows that fish could have evolved into humans. (5) Which genes in humans shifted color during migration from one part of the world to another and also shift in color in fish? - The genes that are responsible for skin pigmentation in humans shifted color during migration from one part of the world to another, just like a fish moving from saltwater to freshwater or visa versa. (6) What is the significance to human biology that fish are the oldest group of vertebrates? - There are 30,000 species of fish and that figure represents more than half of all known back-boned beings. (7) Competition and predation among fish species led to the evolution of two important physical traits found in humans. What are these two traits and how did competition and predation spur their evolution? Regarding the NPR interview with the author of Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin - Teeth allowed smaller fish to eat bigger fish, which humans do have now. Also, a well-shielded head, which is known as the skull is found in a fish as well as a human. As the fish evolved it helped with competition and predation because the teeth were able to bite other animals and the head kept the fish protected. (8) What is unusual about the Tiktaalik? - It has a neck, a flat head with eyes on the top, and under the fin were things that correspond with the elbow and shoulders. (9) What bones in the "arm" of a Tiktaalik are also found in human arms? - The bones found in a Tiktaalik which are also found in human arms are the humorous, elbow joint, and two bones in forearm, 4 bones that help bend, little bones that correspond with parts of fingers. (10) Explain why a hiccup be a relic of our fish ancestors? - You find the same thing in a fish, which has gills, which correspond with lungs for humans. The lungs send a message to the back of your throat to the brain, which causes us to hiccup. - Its how they breathed.