Evolution (Ch 31) Flashcards
Evolution purpose
- Gives rise to new species
- Driven by natural selection and adaptation
- Implies that all life has a common ancestor
Charles Darwin
Darwinism = father of evolution
Sailed aboard Beagle = collected and observed natural history
3 voyage influence
rainforests of Brazil
Fossils
Birds + reptiles of Galápagos Islands
Animal examples of evolution
Insect eater = green warbler finch uses its narrow pointed beak to grasp insects
Seed eater = large ground finch has large beak for cracking seeds
Cactus eater = long sharp beak of cactus ground finch helps its tear and eat cactus flowers and pulp
Who helped Darwin with his manuscripts
Alfred Russell Wallace
4 biological evidence
Anatomical similarities
Vestigial traits in modern species
Shared embryonic developmental pathways
Fossil Evidence
Anatomical similarities
mammalian forelimbs have same set of bones
Structure is similar but functions different
Vestigial traits in modern species
vestigial organs are internal organs that serve no useful function
Serves a function in an ancestor population
Ex: appendix, legs in snake
Shared developmental pathways
Similar chordate embryos
Fossil evidence
Some fossils are more common than others due to certain structures