Name: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________________

How do Living Things Provide Evidence for Evolution

Homologous Structures

Body parts in different organisms that have the same basic structure are called
homologous structures. By comparing homologous structures, biologists can determine
how organisms might be related. Homologous structures may not necessarily have the
same function, but they are similar in structure (such as bone location and number of
bones). The presence of homologous structures suggests that organisms evolved from a
common ancestor.
Analogous structures have the same function; but are very different in structure.

1. Compare the meaning of the terms “homologous” and “analogous”:

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Homologous (Root homo meaning same) Means that they have the same basic structure
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and analogous means same function but very different structure.
Figure 1: Homologous Structures

Figure 2: Analogous Structures

© 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots © 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots
 2. Data Table 1: Homologous Structures
Use Figure 1 to complete the table:
Organism Body Part Function
Human Grabbing/Holding things
Arm
Whale
Flipper Swimming/moving around
Cat
Leg Walking
Bat
Wing Flying
Bird Flying
Wing
Alligator
Leg Walking/Swimming

They're all used for transportation/mobility

3. How are all the body parts in Figure 1 alike? ____________________________________________________
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Most are used for different versions of mobility

4. How are they different? ___________________________________________________________________________
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5. Data table 2: Analogous Structures

Use Figure 2 to complete the table:
Organism Body Part Function
Bird Wing Flying
Insect Wing Flying

Analysis and Conclusions

6. Why are the structures in Figure 1 homologous structures? (*note* the definition of
homologous structures might be used to help support your answer, but it should not serve
as the answer itself. Really analyze the bones- become an expert!).
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© 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots © 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots
 7. Why are the structures in Figure 2 analogous structures?
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8. Do the wings of birds and insects suggest an evolutionary relationship? How do you know?
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Vestigial Structures

Vestigial structures are body parts that are found in living organisms, but have no purpose.
The question then arises, why are these structures present? Biologists find that these
structures may suggest an evolutionary past. For example, snakes have reduced leg bones
attached to their pelvic girdle. This suggests that snakes may have evolved from similar
animals that indeed had legs and walked.

9. Thinking critically: examine the examples of vestigial structures in the table below.
Determine what each vestigial structure may suggest about the organism’s evolutionary past.

Animal Vestigial Structure What might this tell us about its

evolutionary past?
Ostrich Wings

Whale Pelvic limbs (leg bones)

Human Coccyx (tail bone)

10. How do vestigial structures provide evidence of an organism’s evolutionary past?

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11. How are homologous and vestigial structures alike? How are they different?
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© 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots © 2013 Vanessa Jason Biology Roots