What trait was already established in ancient sea woodlice before land colonization?
Answer
Complicated guts for processing detritus
Research into ancient sea woodlice ancestors revealed that they possessed surprisingly complicated digestive systems even when fully aquatic. This suggests that complexity in the gut, likely evolved to process a wider variety of detritus even while living in the water column, was not a new adaptation specifically required for tackling terrestrial decomposition. This pre-existing complexity likely provided a necessary foundational advantage when these creatures later encountered the challenges of processing solid terrestrial organic matter.
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