310 likes | 449 Views
Evolutionary Designs of African Animals. Danielle Lesso College of Engineering Pennsylvania State University. [ mwanasimba ]. This talk presents evolutionary designs of the largest, tallest, and fastest land animals on the planet. African Elephant. Cheetah. Giraffe.
E N D
Evolutionary Designs of African Animals • Danielle Lesso • College of Engineering • Pennsylvania State University • [mwanasimba]
This talk presents evolutionary designs of the largest, tallest, and fastest land animals on the planet • African Elephant • Cheetah • Giraffe
Modern elephants are the only remaining species of a vast order of animals [www.nationalelephantcenter.org] • [www.defenders.org] • 3
Elephants have changed size and shape over time [www.smallkidshomework.com] • 4
Using infrasonic sounds, elephants can communicate up to several kilometers apart infrasonic • Human • hearing • range • [www.birds.cornell.edu] • 5
Infrasonic communication is made possible by the elephant’s unique hyoid and trunk time [www.sciencdirect.com] • 6 • [www.birds.cornell.edu]
Elephants can communicate long distances by using seismic vibrations • 7
Elephants can also physically generate seismic vibrations [physiologyonline.physiology.org] • 8
Seismic signals are picked up in the elephants’ wide feet • Fatty Cushion • 9 • [physiologyonline.physiology.org]
Elephants are masters of communication, thanks to key evolutionary designs [www.pixabay.com] • 10
Giraffes are truly unique African mammals [zoo.org] [flickr.com] [commons.wikimedia.org]
Evolutionary designs help giraffes survive in the dangerous African savannah • [Fore, Himes, Thomas; Dr. Eric Chudler]
The coat of the giraffe aids in camouflage and parasite protection • [commons.wikimedia.org] • benzene • p-cresol [Fore, Himes, Thomas]
Giraffes’ coats also play a role in thermoregulation • [commons.wikimedia.org] [universalhealthcarela.com] • Sites of thermoregulation
The circulatory system of giraffes overcomes the challenges posed by the animal’s height • [panzajpanal.pl]
Valves in the neck arteries keep giraffes from passing out when they have to live their lift heads quickly [wiki.hicksvilleschools.org] [panzajpanal.pl]
Characteristic height and good eyesight are also key to survival • Left • Right • Both [Fore, Himes, Thomas]
The giraffe is very capable of survival, thanks to evolutionary designs [commons.wikimedia.org]
Cheetahs have evolved into excellent hunters • [commons.wikimedia.org] • [en.wikipedia.org]
A cheetah is a great hunter because of its speed, keen senses, and clever strategies • Speed Senses [wildencounters.net] [wildencounters.net] Strategies • [flickr.com] • [flickr.com] • [kreatifdinz.blogspot.com] [pixabay.com] [pixabay.com] • [luxurytravelblog.net]
A cheetah has an extremely flexible spine, powering its long stride • [flickr.com] • [youtube.com]
The long tails of cheetahs allow them to make quick turns, while their claws provide traction • [art.com]
A cheetah relies on both its eyesight and its hearing to locate and stalk prey • [flickr.com] • [philtulga.com]
The cheetah uses strategy to complement its physical advantages during hunting • [worldnomads.com]
There are drawbacks to being the fastest • land animal • [www.wildencounters.net]
Even with the drawbacks, the cheetah is a unique predator because of its evolutionary design [flickr.com]
In summary, evolutionary designs have allowed elephants, giraffes, and cheetahs to survive in extreme conditions African Elephant • Cheetah • Giraffe
However, man poses challenges to these species that evolutionary change might not be able to overcome African Elephant • Cheetah • Giraffe