Question

Penguins have evolved from birds that used to fly. At some stage, the penguin ancestors became increasingly adept at swimming and lost the ability to fly. In the trade-off, their short, powerful wings make excellent flippers for "flying" underwater, being less fragile and creating less drag than the long wings of many other seabirds. Another advantage of giving up flight is that they can put on weight. The ability to store food reserves as fat is an advantage for birds that have to travel far to obtain food, and larger penguins can dive deeper and for longer. Consider each of the conclusions listed. Sort each conclusion according to whether it is supported by the data.

Answer 1

Supported by the data:
1. Penguins' short, powerful wings make excellent flippers for "flying" underwater.
2. Penguins can put on weight and store food reserves as fat, allowing them to dive deeper and for longer.

Not supported by the data:
1. Penguins gave up flight because they become increasingly adept at swimming.
2. Penguins' long wings of other seabirds are more fragile and create more drag compared to penguins' short wings.