AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The opossum, which is native to North America, and the kangaroo, which is native to Australia, are marsupials. The fact that both these mammals incubate their immature offspring in a pouch provides evidence that they-O are descended from a common ancestor.

Detailed explanation-2: -Multiple types of evidence support the theory of evolution: Homologous structures provide evidence for common ancestry, while analogous structures show that similar selective pressures can produce similar adaptations (beneficial features).

Detailed explanation-3: -Embryology is important to understanding a species’ evolution, since some homologous structures can be seen only in embryo development. For example, all vertebrate embryos, from humans to chickens to fish, have a tail during early development, even if that tail does not appear in the fully developed organism.

Detailed explanation-4: -Evidence of a common ancestor for all of life is reflected in the universality of DNA as the genetic material and in the near universality of the genetic code and the machinery of DNA replication and expression.

Detailed explanation-5: -Fossils, anatomy, embryos, and DNA sequences provide corroborative lines of evidence about common ancestry, with more closely related organisms having more characteristics in common. DNA underlies the similarities and differences in fossils, anatomy, and embryos.