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by omniflair on November 20th, 2011

omniflair

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From an evolutionary perspective, why are watermelons red on the inside?

If they want to be eaten by animals, shouldn't they be colorful on the outside?

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  • by ErgoStep - Millionaire Websites on November 25th, 2011

    ErgoStep - Millionaire Websites

    Asker's Pick

    Selected by the asker, omniflair. (What's this?)

    They didn't evolve that way. They are from the genus Citrullus, a desert vine closely related to the gourd. They were the same color in the middle as on the outside until humans began cultivating them.

    Let's look back to the original ancestor. It appears to be the Citron melon (Namib Tsamma), from Namibia, in the southern part of Africa. It appears to have been grown in ancient Egypt at least four thousand years ago.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citron_melon

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  • by (^_^) on November 20th, 2011

    (^_^)

    watermelons are shy.

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  • by Snatchsquach on November 25th, 2011

    Snatchsquach

    Wtaermelons are different colors inside, depending on which type you have. As with all vegetables, they have been grown, and selected, by our ancestors for thousands of years, creating the varieties we have today. For instance, cauliflower is just cabbage with a university degree.

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  • by mikedsign on November 20th, 2011

    mikedsign

    Red on the inside is good to eat for most creatures. For instance animal blood and blood oranges.
    It just happens that the color isn't the defense that the plant depends on to allow for reproduction. The amount of seeds and the protective coatings of the seeds do the job for them.
    So in essence watermelons want to be eaten so the seeds can spread. This is also why they are so sweet and offer so much water.
    They are later pooped out then grow from the poop as the seeds stay intact as long as they are not chewed.

    The only reason many are red inside is because the watermelons have a significant amount of lycopene, which has a red pigment.

    Watermelons contains higher levels of lycopene than most other fresh fruit. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant.

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  • by Marky Mark on December 18th, 2011

    Marky Mark

    Not everything is an evolutionary advantage. There are many fruits that are not red on the outside which have survived perfectly well. Human beings and animals are red on the inside too.

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  • by Snowman on January 4th, 2012

    Snowman

    If they were read all over they'd be newspapers.

    And if that's not good enough, go ask your mother!

    :)

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  • by skep on December 18th, 2011

    skep

    Who told you that watermelons are always red on the inside?

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  • by lyonese01 on November 25th, 2011

    lyonese01

    Why are Polar Bears white ? But they're not , it's their background makes them that way .

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  • by littleboo on November 20th, 2011

    littleboo

    Because the sky is blue, and because I said so, :-)

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  • by TenSixths on November 20th, 2011

    TenSixths

    Watermelons aren't all "Red" (which is more like a well... watermelon color, than red.)

    Some are green inside, and some are yellow too.

    American Watermelons are watermelon colored inside.

    Animals know enough to break anything open by scent and sense... So what does evolution have to do with it.

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