AP BIOLOGY

EVOLUTION

PATTERNS OF EVOLUTION

Please wait while the activity loads.
If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]

Sharks and dolphins both have streamlined bodies that allow them to move through water efficiently but they do not share a recent common ancestor. This is an example of which type of evolution?

A	Divergent
B	Coevolution
C	Convergent
D	Artificial

Explanation:

Detailed explanation-1: -We know that dolphins and sharks are not closely related, and they didn’t inherit their similar body shapes from a common ancestor. Their streamlined bodies, dorsal fins and flippers are the result of convergent evolution.

Detailed explanation-2: -Another example of analogous structures are dolphins and sharks as whole species.

Detailed explanation-3: -Streamlined bodies and fins are traits that dolphins and sharks evolved separately, both as adaptations for swimming. This means that sharks’ and dolphins’ similarities (body shape, fin, and flippers) are convergent traits that each lineage evolved independently.

Detailed explanation-4: -Convergent evolution is when different organisms independently evolve similar traits. For example, sharks and dolphins look relatively similar despite being entirely unrelated.

There is 1 question to complete.