> Is it an advantage or just “this happened to work out slightly better than the alternatives present at the time”?
It doesn't even have to be better or provide and advantage, it just has to not be negative enough to cause them to go extinct. Fitter/better only applies to competitive situations where there's selective pressure. It's possible for a trait to have no impact on fitness and just be one way that works among others.
rebbsitor t1_jabl3ma wrote
Reply to comment by Ieatadapoopoo in Why does temperature determine the sex of certain egg laying animals like crocodiles? by insink2300
> Is it an advantage or just “this happened to work out slightly better than the alternatives present at the time”?
It doesn't even have to be better or provide and advantage, it just has to not be negative enough to cause them to go extinct. Fitter/better only applies to competitive situations where there's selective pressure. It's possible for a trait to have no impact on fitness and just be one way that works among others.