Analysis of forelimb anatomy of humans, bats, and whales shows that humans and bats have fairly similar skeletal structures, while whales have diverged considerably in the shapes and proportions of their bones. However, analysis of several genes in these species suggests that all three diverged from a common ancestor at about the same time. Which of the following is the best explanation for these data?
5 answers
You gave no choices.
a. Evolution of human and bat forelimbs was adaptive, but not for whales.
b. Humans and bats evolved by natural selection and whales evolved by Lamarckian mechanisms.
c. Whales are not properly defined as mammals.
d. Natural selection in an aquatic environment resulted in significant changes to whale forelimb anatomy.
e. Genes mutate more rapidly in whales than in humans or bat
b. Humans and bats evolved by natural selection and whales evolved by Lamarckian mechanisms.
c. Whales are not properly defined as mammals.
d. Natural selection in an aquatic environment resulted in significant changes to whale forelimb anatomy.
e. Genes mutate more rapidly in whales than in humans or bat
I am thinking a, if they mean adaptive radiation...
does anyone know?
I would choose d.
1 answer