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Question 8. Many groups of animals have defensive spines. Examples include porcupines, sea urchins, and hedgehogs. What information do you need in order to determine whether or not spines are the result of homology or homoplasy?

User Uptown
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Answer:

The RIGHT ANSWER IS- Classification of the organism and characteristics of the spines.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this senerio, we will consider the characteristics of the spines followed by the classification of the given animals as porcupine, sea urchins and hedgehogs are of varying phylum.

The two common terminology mostly used in the science of evolution are homology and homoplasy. These two terms varies in their scientific connotations.

Homology is the term used to express biologicals structures or characteristics that are similar and observed in two or more varying species. The noted characteristics originates from the orgsnism common ancestor.

An illustration to describe homology is the forelimbs of frogs, birds, rabbits, and lizards. The forelimbs of this species shows difference in appearance in each species and it shows they possess the same set of bones.

In Homoplasy, the biological structure or characteristic in two or more varying species is from different ancestor.

Homoplasy also shows how it evolved independently due to natural selection in same environments.

Homology is an aftermath of divergent evolution while Homoplasy is a result of convergent evolution.

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