AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The extinct pterosaurs of the Jurassic period and the modern albatross both evolved wings as well as a distinct long beak, but are not derived from a common ancestor. Which pattern of evolution is being described? Convergent evolution.

Detailed explanation-2: -New species form by speciation, in which an ancestral population splits into two or more genetically distinct descendant populations. Speciation involves reproductive isolation of groups within the original population and accumulation of genetic differences between the two groups.

Detailed explanation-3: -Convergent evolution occurs when species occupy similar ecological niches and adapt in similar ways in response to similar selective pressures. Traits that arise through convergent evolution are referred to as ‘analogous structures’. They are contrasted with ‘homologous structures’, which have a common origin.

Detailed explanation-4: -Some Other Examples of Convergent Evolution Streamlined body shape of dolphins, sharks and (extinct) ichthyosaurs. The evolution of echolocation in whales and bats. The paired shell shape of bivalve mollusks and brachiopods. The silk producing ability of spiders, silk worms, silk moths and weaver ants.

Detailed explanation-5: -Examples of convergent evolution include the relationship between bat and insect wings, shark and dolphin bodies, and vertebrate and cephalopod eyes. Analogous structures arise from convergent evolution, but homologous structures do not.