Analogy/Homology Blog!
Homologous Trait
1a. Whales collectively inhabit all the world's oceans with annual population growth rate estimates for various species ranging from 3-13%. They are particularly intelligent mammals who place much value on their families. "Like all mammals, whales breathe air, are warm-blooded, nurse their young with milk from mammary glands, and have body hair. Lastly they communicate with one another using whale songs, which often sound very high-pitched to the human ear".
Humans are primates and are uniquely adapt at utilizing systems of communication for self-expression, the exchange of ideas, and organization. Humans create complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families to nations.
b. The homologous trait concerning these two species would be the whale fins and the human hands." Whale fins are adapted for swimming and human hands are adapted for dexterous manipulation". Even though the whale fin does not look like a human's hand compared in shape and size beneath the surface “both of the skeletal structures underlying these two appendages are very similar since they both evolved from a similar structure in a common ancestor”. The fundamental bones are essentially the same but adjusted to serve different purposes.
c. Since Humans and whales are both mammals it is certain that they both have had a common ancestor a long time ago which is the Dimerodon Grandis referred to as mammal-like reptile, based on characteristics of the skull and dentition.
Analogous Traits
2a..Barnacles are exclusive marine and sessile suspension feeders that have 2 nektonic(active swimming larval stages). They are encrusters attaching themselves permanently to a hard substrate.
Limpet is a name applied to all those snails that have a simple shell. They eat at night, because they feel more safer moving around. They always go back to the same spot after eating and sometimes they use the same spot for their whole life.
b. Even though barnacles and limpets look very similar from the outside and they both live in the ocean adapting to the same environment they are very different in the inside (their organisms differ) suggesting that they are not closely related.
c. Their common ancestor which was probably a worm-like animal did not had a conical shell. “Their similar shells evolved because both lineages faced a similar challenge: a rocky,wave-swept environment teeming with predators ready to pry a small creature off a rock for lunch and conical, hard-to-get-a-grip-on armor offers a lot of protection in such an environment. These lineages evolved their shells independently."
Barnacle Limpet
