[shunyadragon]

Originally posted by ruiner, Also no one has given me an adiquate responce to my initial question: Can any one give me a documented example of a mutation giving rise to new genetic information which was seen as being benificial to an organism? The concept of genetic information is ambiguous and therefore useless. But beneficial mutation can be shown: -SARS mutating to be more virulent. Beneficial because it increases its chance of reproduction. -Bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics or extreme temperatures. Same reason. These are easily observed cases because virus and bacteria RNA and DNA is frequently studied and tested. Another organism well tested and documented for beneficial mutations are flies. In the case of higher lifeforms, mammals for example, labs cannot run experiments on them like they can with viruses, bacteria and flies. This means noone is set up to "watch" changes in mammal DNA. Consequently any beneficial mutations occuring are missed. This is common sense really. Any beneficial mutations that alter a mammals body plan slightly will occur in nature and generally noone is looking. Even if someone did notice a slight change in form in one individual, it certainly is not easy to take the mammal and find out what genetic change occured. Unfortunately hand-held DNA readers do not exist. We are not technologically advanced enough yet to spot the kinds of beneficial mutations you are after on the fly. Any documented beneficial mutations in higher animals will have been found by chance.

There are interesting examples of speciation and differences among birds that we can see benificial mutations. There are a number of kingfishers and closely related birds that develop different diets and slightly different bills, coloration and habits adapted to different food sources. These groups of kingfishers no longer cross bred and represent different subspecies and species in the same region. This type of diversification and speciation happens a lot in tropical regions where food sources are abundant. You will find one related group of species ad subspecies with a great variety adapting to different food sources and ecosystems.You see evolution in progress. At the subspecies and variety level they could still cross bred, but do not do so naturally because of the beginning of specialization and adaptation to different food sources and econiches. These closely related birds and other animals may be seen together in the same region, but because they have adapted to different life styles like a diet of different size of fish, they will not cross bred and successful contribute to the advantage of adaptation to the different environment.

Unfortunately rainforests are being destroyed and this immense diversity of life is vanishing. The rain forests are the Garden of Eden of great diversity and speciation for the future and we are destroying it. There have been catalogued as many as several hundred closely related animals in the process of forming or have formed different species.