Which of the following is an example of a vestigial organ that could be found in a transitional fossil?

1 answer

One example of a vestigial organ that could be found in a transitional fossil is the pelvic bone in whales. In the ancestral form of whales, they had hindlimbs and pelvic bones that were used for movement on land. However, over time and through evolution, their bodies adapted to life in the water and the hindlimbs became useless. The pelvic bones in modern whales are small and serve no function, serving as a vestigial remnant of their ancestors' anatomy. Transitional fossils of whales have been found with pelvic bones, indicating the gradual loss and reduction of this organ during the evolution of whales.