Below is a diagram indicating the limb bones of a human, a crocodile, a bat, a whale, and a bird. Similar bones are highlighted in the same colors. Humans, crocodiles, bats, whales, and birds have similar limb bones. What do these similarities suggest?
1 answer
The similarities in limb bones among humans, crocodiles, bats, whales, and birds suggest a common ancestry or evolutionary relationship. These organisms may have descended from a common ancestor that had similar limb bones, and over time, they have developed adaptations that suit their specific habitats and lifestyles. This concept, known as homology, points towards a shared evolutionary history among these organisms, even though they have different appearances and functions in their limbs today.