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The population of seahorses is likely to grow logistically because there are limiting factors to their growth. Seahorses are small and do not move fast which allows predators such as crabs and stingrays to easily catch them. Humans are also hurting their environment by killing the coral that the seahorses live near. Also, the population grows logistically because there is not enough food in the seahorses environment to support exponential growth.
The seahorses have long tails that could have been caused by natural selection. This could first occur as a population of seahorses had longer tails to latch on to seaweed. More seahorses are born than can survive and seahorses with longer tails survived better. There were many variations in the tails due to a genetic variation. The change in tail size helped the seahorses to obtain more food. This trait was heritable and passed on to the next generation of seahorses.
Certain species of seahorses also developed camouflage such as the weedy seadragon in order to blend in. This population survived better in leafy areas of the sea. This population of seahorses varied from other populations due to a genetic mutation. The seahorses survived better because they could hide and this trait was passed on to future seahorse generations.
Unlike most species, it is the female seahorses that compete for males. This is because the males are the ones that give birth to the young. The females are more brightly colored. This is to attract the males to them and it is male choice by sensory bias. The female seahorses also tend to be larger. The males also choose females based on size because the large females will carry more young.
Females tend to be more competitive and it is the males that choose the female. In areas where the ratio of male to female seahorses is even, there is less competition. Seahorses mate for life and the males have pouches where they fertilize and carry the young.
Seahorses have a history of evolution and this is shown in three evidences. Seahorses have homologous structures. For instance pipefish and seahorses swim with only their dorsal fin and the fins have the same anatomical structure. This leads us to believe that there is a common ancestor between the species since closely related species are more similar in anatomy.
Another evidence of evolution is embryology. If you look at the embryonic stages of seahorses and other fish, you will find that they are quite similar. Many of the traits are similar. This shows that the animals develop similarly implying that they share a common ancestor.
Fossil records also show the evolutionary history of seahorses. The earliest fossils are of pipefish-like species, which again point to a common ancestor between seahorses and pipefish.
The most recent common ancestor is the pygmy pipehorse or Idiotropiscis. This is found right before the hippocampus.
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Raquel Stevens