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Episode 16 Island Syndrome Parts 1 and 2
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Episode 16 Island Syndrome Parts 1 and 2

The thyroid phenotype of founders explains dwarfs, giants, and flightless birds on islands

Island syndrome is the biological term used to describe the tendency for unique island vertebrates to possess different body size and limb proportions compared to mainland ancestors. I contend that the individual thyroid hormone phenotype of mainland founders determines the life history traits and body size of island descendants: that it matters which individuals come first.

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