Question

This red kangaroo and this alpine newt both have a femur bone in their back limbs. However, their femur bones are very different. The red kangaroo has long femur bones that help it jump very far. The alpine newt has short femur bones that help it swim. What most likely explains why both have back limbs with a femur and why the femur bones are different?

Answer 1

Both the red kangaroo and the alpine newt have back limbs with a femur bone because they are both vertebrates and the femur bone is a common feature of vertebrate anatomy.

However, the difference in the size and shape of their femur bones is due to adaptation to their different environments and modes of locomotion. The long femur bones of the red kangaroo are adapted for powerful jumping, while the short femur bones of the alpine newt are adapted for efficient swimming.

This is an example of evolutionary adaptation, where organisms develop traits that help them survive and reproduce in their particular environments.

Hope this helps!