Get A Few Hundred Million Years Ago, The Competition For Food Between Fishes Was Fierce

Individuals with adaptive traits—traits that give them some advantage—are more likely to survive and reproduce. These individuals then pass the adaptive traits on to their offspring. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population.

In natural selection, genetic mutations that are beneficial to an individual's survival are passed on through reproduction. This results in a new generation of organisms that are more likely to survive to reproduce.

Some traits make an organism less likely to survive and reproduce in its environment. These are called disadvantageous traits. For example, disadvantageous traits may make an organism more likely to be seen by predators, or less likely to mate. Organisms with advantageous traits are likely to have more offspring.

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention.

Some traits make an organism less likely to survive and reproduce in its environment. These are called disadvantageous traits. For example, disadvantageous traits may make an organism more likely to be seen by predators, or less likely to mate. Organisms with advantageous traits are likely to have more offspring.

Beneficial traits are extremely varied and may include anything from protective coloration, to the ability to utilize a new food source, to a change in size or shape that might be useful in a particular environment.

Natural selection is the process that results in living things with beneficial traits producing more offspring than others. This results in changes in the traits of living things over time.