LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -A vestigial structure is a feature that a species inherited from an ancestor but that is now less elaborate and functional than in the ancestor.

Detailed explanation-2: -Vestigial structures are inherited from ancestors, but have lost much or all of their original function.

Detailed explanation-3: -These structures, which are often reduced in size, are known as vestigial structures. Examples of vestigial structures include the tailbone of humans (a vestigial tail), the hind leg bones of whales, and the underdeveloped legs found in some snakes (see picture at right).

Detailed explanation-4: -Structures inherited from a common ancestor are called homologous structures, or homologies.

Detailed explanation-5: -Structures that have lost their use through evolution are called vestigial structures. They provide evidence for evolution because they suggest that an organism changed from using the structure to not using the structure, or using it for a different purpose.