Physical Adaptations of Animals

Life Science - Middle School

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Physical Adaptations of Animals Physical adaptations occur in a population of animals as a result of something called adaptive traits. These are any inheritable traits that help an animal survive longer so it can have more young (who may also have these helpful traits). Adaptative traits can help with food collection, safer homes, escaping predators or surviving cold, heat or lack of water. Some adaptive traits are obviously meant to protect animals from predators, like a skunk’s spray (1) or a porcupine’s quills (2), but sometimes they are more subtle like the adaptive traits for locomotion. The hollow bones (3) and flight feathers of birds help them fly, and the smooth scales and many fins on fish (4) help them swim. The larger, more muscular back legs of frogs and kangaroos are for jumping (5), while the wide-hooved feet of caribou (6) help them walk and run across snow-covered tundra. Another adaptive trait is cryptic coloring (7) which helps animals blend into their environment to avoid predation or to catch prey (8). Some cryptic coloring mimics details of the leaves (9), bark (10) or plant (11) on which animals such as insects live, forming a disguise. Other adaptive traits that help animals survive in their habitats include longer, thicker fur for the cold, larger ears (12) to cool the blood in the heat, or turning white during snowy months to blend in. Any traits that may increase survival and are inheritable by young are considered adaptative traits. 4 1 3 5 8 9 6 7 10 11 12 2
94-4035 5 6 Physical adaptations occur in a ___________________________________ of animals as a result of something called adaptive ______________________ . These are any inheritable traits that help an animal survive longer so it can have more _________________________ (who may also have these helpful traits). Adaptative traits can help with food collection, safer homes, escaping predators or surviving cold, heat or lack of ____________________. Some adaptive traits are obviously meant to protect animals from predators, like a ______________________ ___________________ (1) or porcupine’s ____________________ (2), but sometimes they are more subtle like theadaptive traits for locomotion. The hollow __________________ (3) and flight feathers of birds help them ___________ and the smooth scales and many ______________ on fish (4) help them __________________. The larger, more muscular back ______________ of frogs and kangaroos are for jumping (5), while the _________________ ___________________ feet of caribou (6) help them walk and run across snow- covered tundra. Other adaptive traits include ____________________ ___________________ (7) that helps animals ______________________ into their environment to avoid ___________________________ or to catch ____________________ (8). Some cryptic coloring __________________ the details of _____________________ (9), ________________ (10) or plants (11) on which animals such as insects live, forming a ___________________________. Other adaptive traits that help animals survive in their habitats include longer, thicker ___________ for the cold, larger _____________ (12) to cool the blood in the heat, or turning ____________________ during snowy months to blend in. Any traits that may increase survival and are inheritable by young are considered adaptative traits. 4 1 3 8 9 7 10 11 12 2 Physical Adaptations of Animals