So for one of my biology assingments i have to make speculations through variations and mutations to explain how the Flamingos bill and the function developed from it evolved...If any one can confirm or perhaps expand on it, giving me advice, it would be greatly appreciated. Anyways, heres what i got:
Initial Species - No mutation has occurred. Primeval flamingo preceding mutation had a large beak - Behavioral Adaptations: It strikes the water chasing fish. Ejects the water that comes in with the fish, and swallows.
Mutation 1 - Ridges on the beak form, which allows for virtually no filtration - Behavioral Adaptations: Enables the flamingo to strip plant matter.
Mutation 2 - Exaggerated ridged surface, which allows for large enough openings for effective filtration - Behavioral Adaptations: Flamingo is able to filter out unnecessary elements in order to maximize on total food consumption.
Final Species (Mutation 3) - The bill has extended downwards - Behavioral Adaptations: Flamingo is able to hold a large quantity to filter by turning its head inversed; ultimately maximizing on food consumption.
That is what i got... i think i should add though, that perhaps something happened to the vertabrae of the flamingo which allows it to inverse its bill to hold the water for lack of a better word.
Anyways, if anyone could help me it be greatly appreciated. I am kind of stuggling with this unit.. anyways, thanks.