Evidence

of Evolution
Evidence of evolution: Homologous Structures

 Structures that look

different on the
outside but are
anatomically similar
on the inside
 Formed through
divergent evolution
 Shows common
ancestry
 Example: tetrapod
limbs
 Forelimbs of vertebrates

Is structure or function a better piece of evidence to support

close relatives?
 Divergent Evolution

 It is the accumulation of differences between

more closely related groups which leads to the
formation of new species
Occurs when a structure with a common
origin is adapted in different ways in
different lineages
A population begins to diverge into a
different species
Could be due to disturbing factors like
mutations and natural selection
Evidence of evolution: Analogous Structures

 Analogous structures
look similar on the outside,
but are different
anatomically.
 Evolved by convergent
evolution: due to
environmental pressures
 Have a less common
ancestor
 Convergent Evolution

 Organisms less closely related but due to environmental

pressures become more similar in appearance
 Because selection in these instances tend to favor changes
that made the two groups more alike, their phenotypes have
converged
Structures evolved by living in similar climates
The lifestyles of the organisms favors similar adaptions
Ex. The ability to fly

The forming of wings formed later for both of these species

 Evidence of Evolution: Embryology

 An embryo is an unborn or unhatched offspring in the

process of development
 In many cases, the evolutionary history of an organism
can be seen to unfold during its development, with the
embryo exhibiting characteristics of it’s ancestors
Evidence of descent or ancestry
 These relict developmental forms suggest strongly that
our development has evolved, with new instructions
layered on top of old ones.
 Embryos showing evolutionary history

The Embryos of various groups of vertebrate animals show the features they
all share early in development, such as gill slits and a tail.
Evidence of Evolution

Embryology
Evidence of Evolution

The Vertebrate Body

 Evidence of Evolution: Fossils

 Fossils are the preserved remains or traces

of animals, plants, and other organisms from
the remote past
 Most direct form of evidence regarding
evolution
Fossils can answer questions like: How
did they move?, Are the male or female?,
Where did they live?, How did they eat?,
What did they look like? Preserved
insect in opal:
 Provides a record of earths past life forms 4-7 MYA
 Evidence of Evolution: Fossils

Fossils in one area may be extremely different from

another because of reproductive isolation due to
geographic barriers caused by plate tectonics
Changes over time are evident in fossils
Fossils show transitions between organisms
Fossils provide evidence that links fish and land
vertebrates
Example: tiktaalik- article
Use radiometric dating to date fossils because elements
like carbon undergo radioactive decay over time works well
because all living things have carbon
 Evidence of Evolution: Fossil Spiders

New spider
species
identified in
South Korea:
110 million
years old

The tapetum behind the retina will reflect light that can be absorbed a 2nd time to
improve night vision-cat’s eyes that glow in the dark
Evidence of Evolution: Fossils

Scale tree: 2.5 MYA

Evidence of Evolution: dinosaur Fossil
Evidence of Evolution: Fossils

Archaic
man

Wise man-
195,000 years
Working ago
man

Upright
man

Able man

New human relative species

Evidence of Evolution: Human evolution
Evidence of evolution: Vestigial Organs or
structures

 Smaller or reduced structures that are less functional or non-

functional in relation to homologous structures in ancestral forms
 Such features, either useless or poorly suited to performing
specific tasks, are described as vestigial
 They are remnants of ancestral structures
 Examples:
 bones in whales and snakes lower body
 appendix and body hair
 tailbone

Pythons and boa constrictors have tiny hind leg

bones buried in muscles toward their tail ends
THANK YOU