Dolphinately fintastic.
We all know what Ariel looks like.
Ariel lived in Atlantica, a society of merfolk that was somewhere in the Atlantic.
Disney
Thankfully, aquatic evolutionary expert Joseph Shaw, associate professor at Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and his young daughter Emma (a mermaid expert) had all the answers.
Coral Reef Ariel would be tiny and amazingly colorful!
Shaw says, "In coral reefs, one would expect perhaps the most attractive phenotypes that would include beautiful color patterns in their tails, many examples of mimicry, and amazing eyesight to take advantage of the crystal clear, bright sunny waters."
Frills, colors, and pizzaz are the name of the game for coral reef mermaids. These mermaids would also be adorably tiny so they could hide in the various corals from predators.
Disney // Monique Steele for BuzzFeed
Open Ocean Ariel would be sleek and would always travel in a group.
Shaw says, "Merpeople living in the open ocean would be expected to be fast, because they have a lot of ground to cover. They are also likely to be social (e.g., travel in pods) and therefore, have evolved advanced communication skills and we all know that Ariel’s voice is coveted for its beauty. These adaptations would provide a means for them to stay connected despite the vastness of the open ocean."
Ariel's coloring would also change if she evolved in the open ocean. She would have a darker color on her back (dorsal) side, and a lighter color on her belly (ventral) side, which would make it harder for predators to see her. Since the open ocean can be a dangerous place, Ariel would be extremely sleek and smooth, void of any frills that would provide resistance and slow her down when escaping a predator.
Disney // Monique Steele for BuzzFeed
