Rucete ✏ Biology In a Nutshell
1. Fossil Record
- Shows a chronological sequence of life on Earth.
- Documents the existence of species that are now extinct.
- Reveals transitional forms, linking ancestral and modern species (e.g., Archaeopteryx).
2. Biogeography
- Study of the geographic distribution of species.
- Related species often found in close geographic proximity, even if habitats differ.
- Isolated areas like islands often have unique species that evolved from common ancestors (e.g., Galápagos finches).
3. Embryology
- Embryos of different species show similar developmental stages.
- Suggests common ancestry, especially when early embryos share features (e.g., pharyngeal pouches in fish and humans).
4. Comparative Anatomy
a) Homologous Structures
- Body parts with different functions but similar structures, indicating common ancestry.
- Example: forelimbs of cats, bats, whales, and humans.
b) Analogous Structures
- Body parts with similar functions but different structures, suggesting convergent evolution.
- Example: fins and body shapes of sharks, penguins, and porpoises.
5. Molecular Biology
- DNA and protein comparisons reveal similarities among species.
- Organisms with more similar nucleotide or amino acid sequences are more closely related.
- Supports the idea of shared evolutionary history at the molecular level.
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Biology in a nutshell