How did coconuts evolve?
Based on one postulate, the modern coconut species may have evolved around 85 million years ago in a specific geological context.
While the complete evolutionary history of coconuts is complex and involves various theories, one significant postulate focuses on the emergence of the modern coconut species (Cocos nucifera).
According to this theory, proposed around 85 million years ago (Harries 1978), the evolution of the modern coconut species occurred under specific geological conditions.
Geological Context of Evolution
The postulate suggests that this evolutionary step took place while large land fragments located east of the African continent were drifting through a warm ocean known as the Tethys Sea. This sea was situated to the north of the supercontinent Gondwana.
- Timeframe: Approximately 85 million years ago.
- Location: The Tethys Sea, north of Gondwana, where land masses east of Africa were moving.
- Event: The evolution of the modern coconut species.
This perspective highlights the potential influence of ancient geography and climate on the development of the coconut as we know it today, linking its origins to major continental shifts millions of years ago.
