Compare and contrast convergent and divergent evolution.

Property	Convergent Evolution	Divergent Evolution
Definition	Different species develop similar traits due to adaptation to similar environments.	One species evolves into different forms to adapt to different environments.
Example	Wings of birds and bats.	Forelimbs of humans, whales, and bats.
Indicates	Functional similarity but not common ancestry.	Common ancestry with functional diversity.

(a) “The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starts from a point and literally radiates to other geographical areas.” Explain it with an example.
(b) Cite an example where more than one adaptive radiation has occurred in an isolated geographical area. Name the type of evolution your example depicts.

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(a) "The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starts from a point and literally radiates to other geographical areas." Explain it with an example.
(b) Cite an example where more than one adaptive radiation has occurred in an isolated geographical area. Name the type of evolution your example depicts.

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A few stages and their respective time period in the evolutionary history of human beings are mentioned in the flowchart given below:

15 mya — Primates walking like gorillas and chimpanzees existed.
3–4 mya — Man-like primates walked in Eastern Africa. Fossils of their bones were discovered.
2 mya — This ancestor lived in the East African grasslands and ate fruits.
1.5 mya — This hominid had a brain size of 900 cc and probably ate meat.

Based on the above information, answer the following questions:

[(a)] Name one primate about 15 mya.
[(b)] Name one place where fossils of primates were discovered in Eastern Africa.
[(c)] Name the ancestor that lived in the East African grasslands about 2 mya.
[(d)] Name the hominid that was found around 1.5 mya.

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The given graph shows the range of variation among population members, for a trait determined by multiple genes. If this population is subjected to disruptive selection for several generations, which of the following distributions is most likely to result?

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Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. According to evolutionary theory, every evolutionary change involves the substitution of a new gene for the old one and the new allele arises from the old one. Continuous accumulation of changes in the DNA coding for proteins leads to evolutionary differences. The chemical composition of DNA is basically the same in all living beings, except for differences in the sequence of nitrogenous bases. Given below are percentage relative similarities between human DNA and DNA of other vertebrates:

(a) What is the term used for the substitution of a new gene for the old one and the new allele arising from the old one during evolutionary process?

(b) Which one of the following holds true for the data provided in the above table?

[(A)] Greater the evolutionary distance, greater are the differences in the nitrogenous bases.
[(B)] Lesser the evolutionary distance, greater are the differences in the nitrogenous bases.
[(C)] Greater the evolutionary distance, lesser are the differences in the nitrogenous bases.
[(D)] Lesser the evolutionary distance, lesser are the differences in the nitrogenous bases.

(c) [(i)] To which category of evolution (divergent or convergent) does the following relationship belong? Justify your answer.
Human and Rhesus Monkey
OR

[(ii)] Differentiate between Convergent and Divergent evolution.

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Compare and contrast convergent and divergent evolution.

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Solution and Explanation

Top Questions on Evolution

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