16.4 Evidence of Evolution

Question 1

What is biogeography?

Answer 1

The study of where a species lives now, and where they and their ancestors lived in the past.

Question 2

What are the evidence of evolution?

Answer 2

Fossils, anatomy, embryology, genetic biology, homologous molecules.

Question 3

Why are fossils important evidence for evolution?

Answer 3

Direct evidence of evolution. It shows how the species has evolved from its ancestors.

Question 4

What are homologous structures?

Answer 4

Structures that are shared by related species and have been inherited by a common ancestor

Question 5

What are analogous structures?

Answer 5

Structures that have a similar function, but have a different structure.

Question 6

What are vestigial structures?

Answer 6

Structures that are inherited from ancestors but has lost much of its function.

Question 7

How do DNA and RNA provide evidence for common descent?

Answer 7

The universal genetic code is nearly identical in all species. It shows that most species descended from one common ancestor.