THE RED QUEEN
(Natural Selection and Predator-Prey Evolution)
“Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.”
The Red Queen in Lewis Carroll’s, Through the Looking Glass
The Red Queen’s statement to Alice accurately describes an important aspect of the evolutionary process. In nature, evolution is a
race. The goal is to pass your genes on to the next generation. Along the way, you must overcome changes in your physical
environment and defend yourself against the onslaught of other species. There is competition for food and space. It’s every species
for itself, and any adjustments that help achieve the goal are allowed. If the adjustments you made result from genetic variability, then
those adjustments can be passed to your offspring and they will flourish.
All right… suppose you have managed to pass your genes on to your offspring. Is the race over? NO!! As the Red Queen implies, the
race never stops. Environmental conditions may change again, a new, slightly better model of another species may come along, etc...
Nothing remains status quo. The alternative to racing is extinction, the death of all members of a species.
In nature, no species exists completely isolated from others. Other species are evolving, too. Consider the interaction of predators
(hunters) and prey species (huntees). Predators that are better hunters will consistently be able to produce more offspring. In this lab,
we will look at the predator-prey relationship.
Rules of the Game:
1. Students represent the predator species, each with a unique feeding appendage (spoons, tweezers, and knives).
2. Predators with a spoon or a knife appendage may NOT use their thumbs to assist in capturing prey.
3. Prey species are 4 different kinds of seeds: lintels, Lima, pinto, and black beans.
4. At the start of the feeding bout, the teacher will disperse 1000 prey (250 of each type of seed) into the selected area.
5. In the first generation, there will be equal numbers of the four types of seeds. Then for 2 minutes, the predators will feed by
using the appendage in one hand to pick up prey and transport them into a container (the stomach) held in the other hand.
6. At the end of each bout, the number of prey “caught” will be tabulated, and if you don’t capture enough prey, your species will
become extinct.
7. We will have 3 feeding bouts. As time goes on, the less successful types of prey will “die out” leaving the prey that is more
difficult to capture behind. What effect will that have on our predators? This game will illustrate the evolutionary impact of the
Red Queen’s statement.
Red Queen Continued…
 When we go outside, take your group’s Red Queen WS (data table), a pencil, your appendages, and your stomachs with you.
You are responsible for keeping up with these items.
 You will complete the individual data tables (you and your partner’s) after each feeding bout when we go outside.
 After all 3 feeding bouts, we will come back into the classroom at which time you will tally your table’s data (data from you,
your partner, and the group across from you). Your table’s data will then be used to calculate the class’ data (tallied as a class
with the teacher’s help), and you will use this information to complete the analysis questions with your partner.
Analysis Questions – Please answer in complete sentences that re-state the question on the back of your data tables!!!
1. Distinguish between the efficient predators and the less efficient predators. What do you think made them so efficient or not?
2. Distinguish between the prey that successfully avoided capture and those more likely to be eaten. What differences were
there and what characteristics made some prey more successful and others not so successful at avoiding capture?
3. Predict what might happen in the future generations to the different types of predators and prey.
4. What changes in the environment might cause a reversal in this trend?
5. What are homologous structures? Give some examples.
6. What are vestigial structures? Give an example.
7. Which evidence of evolution is most reliable or valid in supporting the theory of evolution? Why?
8. What is an analogous structure?
When you are finished answering the analysis questions, turn your lab in to the tote tray!