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Wisdom teeth are often given as an example of a vestigial trait. why?

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because they are not that useful in humans But they are useful in species that appear to be ancestral ... specifically in the species, we can identify by fossils as having had a larger jawbone where the extra wisdom teeth *were* useful. Another sign of a vestigial feature (although not necessary) is that is completely absent in a small percentage of individuals ... as wisdom teeth are.
User ElRudi
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