Cladogram of raccoon:
Evolution
The raccoon, a member of the procyonidae family, and within the carnivora order. Raccoons like most carnivores evolved as predators. These small mammals lived in trees during the Cretaceous period (135 mil. years ago). Easy adaptation to many diffrent habitats supported the reproduction of these small mammals, during what is known as the Paleocene period (2). In the Eocene period, fossil records show that some carnivores such as raccoons adapted to diffrent enviorments and foods (3). Raccoons are identified as mixed feeders as they evolved to have both "Carnassial shear" and molars for crushing. Raccoons continue to adapt easily to any enviorment and are only limited by winter climates. They are therefore mostly found in coastal areas, prairies, forrests and most recently , suburbs and city, where there is easy access to food, water and den sights.
Natural Selection
Charles Darwin, a naturalist, conceived the theory, of natural selection, one of the most basic descriptions of evolution, by natural selection. The idea of "Survival of the fittest", meaning adapting to changing natural habitats, genetically. (4)
Taxonomy
http://www.answers.com/topic/speciation (1)
http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall00Projects/raccoon.html (2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eocene (3)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml (4)
http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall00Projects/raccoon.html (2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eocene (3)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml (4)