How Quickly Can Evolution Change a Species' Physical Characteristics?

[DaveC426913]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417112433.htm

In 1971, biologists moved five adult pairs of Italian wall lizards from their home island of Pod Kopiste, in the South Adriatic Sea, to the neighboring island of Pod Mrcaru.

“Striking differences in head size and shape, increased bite strength and the development of new structures in the lizard’s digestive tracts were noted after only 36 years, which is an extremely short time scale,”

 

[Rade]

Thanks, a very nice link. I was aware of similar experiments using bacteria over many generations:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/science/26lab.html
but to see such results with a vertebrate species is impressive documentation of natural selection in action.