Question

What did you include in your response? Check all that apply:

a. All four organisms have a knobby head.
b. All four organisms have gill slits.
c. All four organisms have a tail.
d. These similarities tell us that all four organisms have a common ancestor.

Answer 1

Humans, dogs, birds, and whales all exhibit gill slits and a tail during their embryonic stages, demonstrating common development traits; this is considered evidence of a shared evolutionary ancestor. Their similarities in appendage construction and other physiological aspects, along with homologous DNA sequences, further emphasize their common ancestry.

Step-by-step explanation:

Common Ancestry of Organisms

In response to the question about the similarities among humans, dogs, birds, and whales, several statements can be verified. Firstly, all four organisms indeed have different morphologies and are not characterized by having a knobby head, so option 'a' is incorrect. However, during their embryonic development stages, these organisms exhibit gill slits and possess a tail, as stated in options 'b' and 'c'. These are considered phylogenetic characteristics that suggest a common ancestry.

The strongest evidence supporting a common ancestor comes from option 'd'. The similarities in the construction of appendages and other physiological features are due to evolutionary processes that point towards a shared evolutionary history. These organisms also share many conserved core processes and features that have evolved over time and are widespread among a variety of living beings today. This commonality hints at the interconnectedness of life on Earth and supports the scientific claim that these species evolved from a shared ancestor, as indicated by their highly homologous DNA sequences and similar metabolic pathways.