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_____ evolution leads to _____ structures.

A. Gradual; analogous
B. Convergent; analogous
C. Divergent; homologous
D. Convergent; homologous

User Mvbrakel
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Final answer:

Convergent evolution can result in analogous structures, while divergent evolution can result in homologous structures. Scientists must determine whether traits are homologous or analogous to understand the evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Step-by-step explanation:

C. An example of convergent evolution is the development of an ancestral structure, a limb, into two different modern structures, such as a hand and a flipper. The fact that natural selection can cause a structure to develop down two different pathways due to different environmental conditions supports the theory of evolution.

d. Maximum parsimony hypothesizes that organisms that display homologous structures are closely related, while organisms that display analogous structures must have diverged much farther in the past.

Similar traits can be either homologous or analogous. Homologous structures share a similar embryonic origin; analogous organs have a similar function. Scientists must determine which type of similarity a feature exhibits to decipher the phylogeny of the organisms being studied.

User Eric Harms
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