Asked by crystal

Scientists notice structural similarities between fossils of a land animal and an aquatic organism. They know the similarities are not a result of the two organisms having to adapt to similar environments. What can they attribute the structural similarities to?
convergent evolution
common ancestry
transitional evolution
similar mating habits

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Common ancestry.

If the similarities are not due to adaptation to similar environments (i.e., not convergent evolution), they are best explained as homologous structures inherited from a shared ancestor.