Final answer:
The term for the phenomena where unrelated organisms develop similar traits due to adapting to similar environments is a. convergent evolution. It leads to analogous structures that serve the same function but originate independently in different evolutionary lineages. Examples include the streamlined bodies of aquatic animals and the seasonal white coverings of arctic species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the evolutionary process by which organisms as unrelated as birds and butterflies develop similar characteristics due to adaptations to similar environments is known as convergent evolution. This process leads to the formation of analogous structures, such as the wings of birds and insects, which serve similar functions but do not arise from a common ancestor. Convergent evolution is evident in numerous examples across different species occupying similar ecological niches, leading to the development of traits that are superficially similar due to similar environmental pressures.
Another example of convergent evolution is seen in aquatic creatures like fishes and whales, which have developed streamlined body shapes to facilitate movement through water, despite being distantly related. The white coverings of arctic foxes and ptarmigan during winter are also a result of convergent evolution, as both species have evolved to blend into their snowy environment to avoid predation, illustrating how natural selection can lead to similar adaptations in organisms sharing the same habitat.