Lab 2 journal: Phylogenetic Placement and Adaptations --- Kristie Hui

Following up on the field lab at Jeanne-Mance Park conducted on Sept 15, I have decided to work on the phylogenetic placement of Asian Lady Beetles and here are my identifications:
Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Anthropoda, Class Insecta, Order Coleoptera, Family Coccinellidae, Genus Harmonia and Species Harmonia axyridis.
A common adaption that I have noticed among my 10 observations is the presence of a pair of antennae. It consists of multiple kinds of receptors and helps them sense the environment to find food and detect enemies. This plays a significant role for their habitat fit in and increases their chance of survival (under natural selection). As for lady beetles, they have exceptionally bright colours and distinctive spots as a unique adaption. It makes them unappealing to predators and makes it easier to survive.

Posted on September 23, 2021 05:48 PM by kristiehui