Question

Cave-dwelling catfish and cave-dwelling salamanders share striking similarities: Both organisms lack pigmentation, and their eyes are reduced or absent. The most recent common ancestor to these organisms had normal pigmentation and fully developed eyes. The similarities between cave catfish and cave salamanders are an example of

A. homology.
B. convergent homology.
C. exaptation.
D. analogy (convergent evolution).

Answer 1

The lack of pigmentation and reduced or absent eyes in cave-dwelling catfish and salamanders are examples of (D) analogy or convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits due to adapting to similar environmental conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The similarities between cave-dwelling catfish and cave-dwelling salamanders, such as the lack of pigmentation and reduced or absent eyes, are an example of analogy (convergent evolution). These organisms are not closely related; however, they exhibit similar physical characteristics because they have adapted to the same environmental conditions, which in this case is the dark environment of caves.

This type of evolutionary adaptation results in analogous structures that arose independently in the two lineages rather than from a common ancestor with those traits.