Friday, February 22, 2013

Homologous and Analogous


1. The two species that has homologous traits are the dolphin and the bat, a dolphin's fin and the wing of a bat, are homologous organs that retain the same basic structure of the original ancestral species. The dolphin's fin, this is designed to swim and be almost always in contact with water, but the wing of a bat has the same structure but different function like fly and to make it more easy for them to succeed finding food. Homologous divergent evolution occurs, referring progressive adaptation of the same organ at different functions, such as running, climbing, swimming and flying.



2. A good example of analogous is the functional similarities between the wings of insects and birds, although both structures serve the same purpose, fly, allowing organs such activity are in origin and structure very different from one another, therefore the analogy may serve in this case to determine evolutionary convergences, but in no way can establish descent between species in biological evolution. These similarities, analogies calls are rather superficial and due to these organisms are subject to the same restrictions functional or adaptive, and is not due to having a recent common ancestor.