Question

Daniel Gilbert proposed that cognition is an evolutionary outgrowth of perception, implying a similarity in neural structures used for processing visual and verbal stimuli. Are there other examples in biology where a structure evolved for one specific task later gained the ability to perform another type of task?

A) Yes, these structures are termed aspandrels and include features like the human chin or language.
B) No, such examples are rare and debated due to challenges in the fossil record.
C) Aspandrels represent a broad range of traits, making it difficult to pinpoint specific examples.
D) Exaptations are more inclusive and cover a wide array of traits that could potentially be considered aspandrels.

Answer 1

In biology, structures can evolve to perform different tasks through convergent evolution or the development of ancestral structures into different modern structures.

Step-by-step explanation:

In biology, there are examples where a structure evolved for one specific task and later gained the ability to perform another type of task. This phenomenon is known as convergent evolution, where similar traits evolve independently in different species. For example, flight has evolved in both bats and insects, and they both have structures we refer to as wings. Although bat and insect wings evolved from different original structures, they serve the same function of flying. This is an example of convergent evolution in biology.

Another example is the development of an ancestral structure, such as a limb, into different modern structures. For instance, a hand and a flipper have evolved from a common ancestral limb structure. This shows that natural selection can cause a structure to develop down different pathways based on different environmental conditions, supporting the theory of evolution.

Therefore, in biology, there are multiple examples where structures evolved for one specific task and later gained the ability to perform another type of task through convergent evolution or the development of ancestral structures into different modern structures.