Evidence of Common Ancestry

Which of these cases provides embryological evidence that two species share a common ancestor?

• two species with very similar DNA

• two species with different body structures

• two species with different structures that have similar functions

• two different species with similar patterns of early development at the embryo stage

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Two species might have similar skeletal structures that have different functions. What do these types of structures suggest about the relationship between the two species?

• Common structures with different functions suggest that the species live in the same habitat.

• Common structures with different functions suggest that the species do not share a common ancestor.

• Common structures with different functions suggest that one of the species never learned how to use the structure properly.

• Common structures with different functions suggest that the species share a common ancestor that also had a similar structure.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Snakes have traces of leg-like structures that are not used for movement. Which inference is supported by this fact?

• Snakes do not have ancestors.

• Snakes are an example of transitional fossils

• Snakes share a common ancestor with animals that have legs similar to how a whale has a pelvic bone but isn’t needed.

• Snakes and animals that have legs are part of the same species

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Tara is comparing the embryos of parrotfish and salamanders. Although the adult organisms look very different, the embryos follow similar developmental pathways. What does this suggest?

• that parrotfish and salamanders are found in the fossil record

• that parrotfish and salamanders have the same genetic makeup

• that parrotfish and salamanders likely share a common ancestor

• that parrotfish and salamanders use their organs for different functions

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Which of these is least likely to be used to infer evolutionary relationships (common ancestry)?

• similarities in habitats

• similarities among embryos of organisms

• similarities at the genetic and molecular level (DNA)

• similarities between living and fossilized organisms

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

The hind leg bones in a whale are examples of

• homologous structures
• analogous structures
• fossils
• vestigal structures

Structures with the same parts but have different functions and suggests that organisms share a common ancestry are:

• vestigial structures.
• homologous structures.
• fossils.
• adaptive radiation.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

This image shows the development of various organisms and how they share a common ancestor because of similarities in development.  It is called:

• natural selection.
• speciation.
• evolution.
• embryology.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

How would you describe this type of evolution?

• Homologous structure.
• Analogous structure.
• Structural adaptation.
• Functional adaptation.

A change in a population or species over time.

• Embryology
• Common Ancestry
• Evolution
• Stasis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4