Question

3. Musk oxen are large animals that live in the coldest parts of the Arctic and look something ike shaggy cows. Musk oxen have the warmest wool of any mammal. How would a biologist explain how musk oxen evolved this warm wool, assuming that their ancestors had wool that wass less warm?

Answer 1

• In artic the temperatures are so low and Musk oxen which did not have thick wool covering will not survive.
• Hence , the oxen have adaptations inorder to survive in such harsh environments.
• The adptations are given below.
• Musk oxen have adapted in such a way that that it has additional covering of wool compared to its ancestors.
• This wool covering is called qiviut. This coat gives additional protection by providing protection below 0 degree to - 100 degree F.
• This type of covering took 600000 years to evolve.
• Musk oxens are in a process of adaptation and only the fittest individuals of the population survives.
• Thus , musk oxen only with qiviut survived and all other ancestors of the population disappered.