Unit 7 Evolution & Diversity Vocab #1

Fossil

The preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past

biogenesis

development of life from preexisting life

spontaneous generation

Hypothesis stating that life could arise from nonliving matter.

analogous structures

Body parts that share a common function, but not structure; no common ancestor

homologous structures

Body parts are similar in structure, but usually different in function; indicates a common ancestor

Ex: Whale flipper and bat wing

vestigial organ

organ that currently serves no apparent useful function in an organism but did in the past

adaptive radiation

the diversification of a single species into different species filling different ecological niches.

convergent evolution

unrelated organisms independently evolve similarities when adapting to similar environments ex: insect wing and bird wing

divergent evolution

when two or more species sharing a common ancestor become more different over time; caused by adaptive radiation

Evidence supporting evolution

fossil record, comparative anatomy, embryological development, biochemical record (DNA and amino acid sequences)