In humans, the pelvis and thigh bone are used for walking. Whales also have a tiny pelvis and thigh bone, which suggests they used to have legs. The pelvis and thigh bone in a whale are examples of ________.Group of answer choiceshomologous structuresfossilsnatural variationvestigial structures
Question
In humans, the pelvis and thigh bone are used for walking. Whales also have a tiny pelvis and thigh bone, which suggests they used to have legs. The pelvis and thigh bone in a whale are examples of ________.Group of answer choiceshomologous structuresfossilsnatural variationvestigial structures
Solution
The pelvis and thigh bone in a whale are examples of vestigial structures.
Here's why:
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Vestigial structures are organs or "parts" that are of little or no use to the organism. These structures are typically small and underdeveloped. They are often remnants of structures that were functional in the organism's ancestors.
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In the case of whales, the tiny pelvis and thigh bone are not used for walking or movement, as they are in humans. This suggests that these structures were more useful in the whale's ancestors, who may have used them for walking.
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Therefore, these structures are considered "vestigial" because they no longer serve their original purpose.
So, the correct answer is vestigial structures.
Similar Questions
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