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  The Hagfish   >>     Description   |   Evolve Scenario   |   Results   |  Sources + References
 


Evolve Scenario:

















 


The Evolve Parameters
 

Justifications:

Survival / Reproduction Rates:

As a note, Spot represent slime-producing individuals and Diamond represent non slime-producing individuals in this scenario.

The survival rates for the hagfish in general were set relatively high. From what I have read, the hagfish have very slow metabolisms. They are able to go on for months at a time without food. This leads me to believe that very few of these fish would die of starvation. The slime-producing individuals were given a higher survival rate because the slime would enable them to escape would-be predators more often.

As for reproduction, hagfish reportedly lay anywhere from 10-20 eggs. For fish, this is a relatively small number, which suggests that the hagfish have a low mortality rate. However, some of these eggs may get eaten from time to time.


Genetic Drift:

Genetic Drift is probably negligible in such a relatively large population.



 

The Scenario:

In this scenario, the genetic trait we will be investigating is the ability to produce slime in individuals in a hagfish population.

As mentioned before, the hagfish have slime or mucous glands along the sides of their bodies. These glands secrete slime in a concentrated form. When the slime comes into contact with sea water, the slime quickly swells. This slime is unlike other slimy secretions in that it is supported by very fine fibres. These fibres make the slime tougher and gives it tensile strength.

When the hagfish feels threatened, it releases the slime. The slime can serve two purposes: it can allow the hagfish to slip away from potential predators and it can threaten to suffocate the predator.


 

 

Justifications (continued):

Gene Flow:

Hagfish populations tend to be fairly dense. However, their population is located in an ocean, not an island and is thus subject to gene flow. Although the precise number of individuals immigrating and emigrating into and out of the population are unknown, I thought that these numbers seemed "reasonable".

 

Prediction:

We predict that the slime producing trait will give those who possess it an advantage over non slime-producing individuals. Because of the advantage this trait holds, this trait will likely increase in frequency over the generations till it becomes the "norm". While the lack of the slime-producing trait may be enough of a disadvantage to cause it to decrease in frequency in comparison to the the slime producing trait.


 


 

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