1.A) 2 different species that's share a homologous traits are ostriches and Flamingos. Ostriches live in dry savannas with open plains, Which they travel through quickly using their long tarsus And tibia (legs). Flamingos live in tropical environment with Plenty of water, they feed from the plentiful organisms in the water that they can traverse through thanks to their long tarsus and tibia.
1.B) The long and dense Tarsus and Tibia of an ostrich is to help it travel quickly through the wide and open plains of it environment, where predators can spot you more easily than in more dense regions. The flamingo however does not need to worry so much for predators and instead It's Tarsus And tibia is focused in aiding in its pursuit of food, by being skinny and light it can move more elegant through the water without alerting the prey in the water.
1.C) Both species most likely shared a common ancient bird ancestor. By looking at the skeletal and external anatomical structures, we can see that both species of bird diverged due to factors of environmental and physical concerns.
1.D)
2.A) An example of a knowledge is trait would be between a duck and a platypus, when discussing their bills and feet. Ducks tend to live in aquatic areas where they can fish, they tend to migrate for warmer climates and are birds. Platypus also live near running water and high fish populations, but are mammals.
2.B) Both species have bills and webbed feet to help its survive in It environment. Webfeet allow them to move through the water more quickly by acting like flippers that help push the water, and the bills allow them to fish more efficiently thanks to how they're designed. The key environmental element that lead to this is the water that the species have to deal and live off of.
2.C) We know that these traits are analogous due to the fact that the platypus comes from a mammals background, while ducks comes from an avian ancestry. Also platypus may lay eggs just like a duck a platypus can secrete It's own milk to feed their young and is warm blooded unlike a bird. Furthermore not all birds have bills, many have beaks. So we can gather that the traits are not based on any genetic lineage that they shared, but rather from environmental pressures.
2.D)
Homology: Good opening description.
ReplyDeleteCan you explain what the "tarsus and tibia" are in these birds? You speak of them in generalities but if your reader doesn't have an in depth understanding on skeletal anatomy, they won't know what you are referring to. The tarsus and tibia of these birds are indeed different and represent homologies, but explain more clearly how and why their structures are different and how this contributes to their functional differences.
"Both species most likely shared a common ancient bird ancestor. "
Correct, but that doesn't mean these traits are then automatically homologous. How do we know that the common ancestor possessed thegeneralized traits you discuss above? That's the evidence we need to confirm homology.
Analogy: Good opening discussion.
The second section asked you to pick just one trait and focus the discussion there. You raise the traits of both bills and webbed feet. Both happen to be analogous traits, but you needed to focus on one and expand to help your reader understand the functional/structural similarities and what evolutionary forces led to this convergent evolution.
Okay on your section on ancestry. You are correct that these traits (bills and webbed feet) are not the general structures of avians or mammals in general. That means these traits arose independently after the platypus or the water fowl broke off from their larger clades.
Good images.