Shelled Creatures as Anabolic Catabolic Split

[Tom Hendricks]

The Cambrian was an era known for the appearance of many creatures
with shells . Most think these were for self defense. If true, some
creatures were predators attacking, and others were prey being
attacked. And the prey slowly developed hard shells as protection.

This 'arms race' can be considered as a race of catabolic processes
versus anabolic processes.

Catabolic processes
of the attacking creatures to break down the shelled creatures
versus
Anabolic processes
of the creatures being attacked, building up tougher shells for
protection.

It suggests this is another loose division of catabolic and anabolic
processes, and it suggests that this division can set up arms races
between species.
The largest one probably being
CATABOLIC - heterotrophs versus ANABOLIC - autotrophs

Therefore catabolic and anabolic processes may be an important force
of evolution.