Madagascan Vanga

Madagascar's vanga birds radiated from a single ancestor into 22 species displaying more morphological diversity than entire families on continents. Some vangas look like shrikes, others like nuthatches, woodpeckers, or even small toucans. This single lineage evolved to fill ecological roles occupied by separate families elsewhere - a compressed evolutionary history demonstrating radiation's power.

The vanga radiation occurred because Madagascar's isolation prevented continental bird families from colonizing. Without competition from specialized mainland lineages, vangas expanded into open ecological space. Their ancestor was a generalist; different populations specialized for different resources as the radiation unfolded.

The business parallel applies to protected market development. When regulatory barriers, geographic isolation, or platform boundaries prevent established competitors from entering, local players can diversify to fill roles that would otherwise be occupied by specialists. India's tech industry before liberalization, or app ecosystems within walled-garden platforms, mirror Madagascar's isolation - protected environments where local players radiate into roles that established global players might otherwise dominate.

Vangas also demonstrate that radiation quality depends on founder capability. The original vanga ancestor possessed enough genetic and behavioral flexibility to produce diverse descendants. Radiations from more constrained founders produce less diversity. Companies entering protected markets similarly need sufficient capability diversity to exploit the range of available opportunities.