Name_________________________________ Date__________ Period______

Lab: Evidence Of Evolution

BACKGROUND: Much evidence has been found to indicate that living things have evolved or
changed gradually during their natural history. The study of fossils as well as work in embryology,
biochemistry, and comparative anatomy provides evidence for evolution.

OBJECTIVES: In this lab you will learn about homologous, analogous, and vestigial structures and
their significance in evolution theory.

MATERIALS: Colored pencils and worksheet.

PROCEDURES AND OBSERVATIONS:

PART I. HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES (definition): ________________________________

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1. Carefully examine the drawings of the bones shown in Figure 1 on the next page. Look for
similarities among the various animals.
a. Color each part of the human arm a different color. (Note: All bones of the wrist
should be a single color; all the bones of the hand should be a different single color, etc.)
Then color the corresponding bone in each of the other animals the same color as the human
bone.

b. Describe the function of each structure below:

ANIMAL FUNCTION OF STRUCTURE

HUMAN
WHALE
CAT
BAT
BIRD
CROCODILE

c. Are the bones arranged in a similar way in each animal? ________________________

These structures are formed in similar ways during embryonic development and share like
arrangements; however they have somewhat different forms and functions. They are called
homologous structures. Choose a color for each bone on the human forelimb and color the
corresponding bone in the other organisms the same color.

humerus
humer

Radius

Ulna
Some apparently unrelated animals have organs with similar functions, yet are very different in
structure and form. These structures are called analogous structures.

PART II. ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES

(definition): ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

1. Examine the butterfly wing and the bird wing shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2.
a. What function do these structures share? ____________________________
b. How are these structures different? ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

c. Do birds and insects share any structural (elements inside the wing) similarities
that would suggest they are closely related taxonomically?
_________________________________________________________________

PART III. VESTIGIAL STRUCTURES

(definition): ________________________________________________________________
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Gradual changes have occurred through time that have in some cases reduced or removed the
function of some body structures and organs. The penguin's wings and the leg bones of snakes are
examples of this phenomenon.

1. The cavefish and minnow shown in Figure 3 are related. Both the cavefish and the minnow
have eyes, but the cavefish is blind.

Figure 3.
 a. Explain why eyesight is not an important adaptation to life in a cave.

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b. What do you think has become the most important adaptation of the cave fish (think
about senses)? (explain your answer)
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c. What about the internal structure of the cavefish and minnow suggest common ancestry?

____________________________________________________________________

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2. Read the list of human vestigial structures shown in Table 1.

c. Suggest a possible function for each structure and explain why it became vestigial.
Record your answers in the table.

Table 1.

STRUCTURE POSSIBLE FUNCTION WHY VESTIGIAL?

appendix (digests leaves in

koala bears)

coccyx (tail bones)

muscles that move ears

muscles that make hair stand
up

little toe

wisdom teeth
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

1. Explain why the homologous structures in Part I are evidence of evolutionary relationships.

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2. Explain the evolutionary relationship between the fin of a fish and the flipper of a whale.

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3. List two structures (not from Table 1) that you think are vestigial and explain why.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

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4. Re-define the three different types of evidence for evolution that you have studied in this

lab in your own words.

1. HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES - __________________________________________

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2. ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES - ___________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

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3. VESTIGIAL ORGANS - ________________________________________________

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