Evidence of Evolution Quiz Answers

1. Fossils show that many evolutionary changes are gradual. But the incomplete fossil record can falsely suggest or conceal times of rapid change. The terrestrial animal began developing aquatic features and gained more bone structure. But as the evolution process continued certain body parts (ex: limbs) began to shrink in size due to lack of use (vestigial structures).

 

2. Marsupials began in North America (E.) Then they traveled to Australia

3. The bat, bird, and dragonfly show convergent evolution, since they are independently evolved in similar features in species of different lineages.

4. In the common descent lab, we compared the Cytochrome- C (amino acid) sequences of different organisms. If there were few differences in the sequences which means that the species are closely related and evolved from a common ancestor. If there were many differences in the sequences this means that the organisms are not closely related and evolved from different ancestors. For example, primates and humans have no differences in the Cytochrome-C sequences, which means that both evolved from the same ancestor.

5. Homology is the study of anatomical features, of different organisms, that have a similar appearance or function because they were inherited from a common ancestor that also had them. For example the forelimbs of dolphins and humans are different in appearance but they have similar bone structure and they come from a common ancestor.