Name: ______________________________ Period: ____ Date: _________

Evidence for the Theory of Evolution

(Adapted from: Prentice Hall Laboratory Manual)

NGSSS:
SC.912.L.15.1 Explain the scientific theory of evolution is supported by the fossil record, comparative
anatomy, comparative embryology, biogeography, molecular biology, and observed evolutionary change.
AA (Also addresses: SC.912.N.1.3, SC.912.N.1.6, SC.912.N.3.1, SC.912.N.3.4)

Background:
Evolution is not just a historical process; it is occurring at this moment. Populations constantly adapt in
response to changes in their environment and thereby accumulate changes in the genes that are available
to the species through its gene pool. In today's lab you will explore some of the evidence for evolution and
will examine a few of the mechanisms through which evolution acts. In this laboratory you will review some
of the classical examples used as evidence for evolution.

Problem Statement: What are some evidences that support the theory of evolution?

Vocabulary: evolution, fossil, homologous structures, molecular biology, vestigial organ, comparative
biology

Procedures:
1. Read the Station Cards carefully.
2. Follow the instructions.

Observations:
Station 1: Fossil Record
a) Give two similarities between each of the skulls that might lead to the conclusion that these are all
related species.
The first similarity is they both have a long sort of jaw 
Second being they have this sort of gap and then teeth, idk I never did anatomy

b) What is the biggest change in skull anatomy that occurred from the dawn horse to the modern
horse?
increase in the size of the skull; a shift from cusps to complex ridges on the grinding surface of the
premolars and molars, elongation of the face and of the space between the incisors and cheek teeth, an
anterior shift of the cheek teeth so they lie forward of the eye; a deep lower jaw bone

c) What is the biggest change in leg anatomy that occurred from the dawn horse to the modern horse?

fifty five million years ago, there was an animal the size of a small dog, called Hyracotherium. its front
feet had four toes, and its back feet had three. modern horse feet have a single hoof. we see the
reduction and loss of the side toes and enlargement of the terminal phalanx (hood) elongation and
enlargement of the central metapodial (longest bone in the foot)
Station 2: Comparative Embryology
Table 1 Table 2
Species Embryo Species Embryo
Human D Human E
Chicken C Chicken D
Rabbit A Rabbit C
Tortoise E Tortoise F
Salamander F Salamander B
Fish B Fish A

Table 3
Embry
Species Anatomical Changes From Early to Late Stages
o
Humans develop from little unidentifiable embryos to tiny little humans
Human F

Chicken develops from little unidentifiable embryos to tiny little chickens

Chicken D

Rabbit develops from little unidentifiable embryos to tiny rabbit

Rabbit E

Tortoise develops from little unidentifiable embryos to tiny little tortoises

Tortoise C

Salamander devclops from little unidentifiable embryos later have little tail and then to a little salamander
Salamander B

Fish develops from little unidentifiable embryos later have little tail and then to a little fish.
Fish A

Table 4
Species List similarities of each embryo to others
In the beginning, rabbits and humans look almost the same as embryos (same eyes)
Human

In the beginning chicken and tortoise look the same same eyes
Chicken

Rabbits and humans look the same (same eyes)

Rabbit

Tortoise and chicken look the same (same eyes)

Tortoise

Salamanders look the same as fish in the beginning and the middle
Salamander

fish look the same as salamanders in the beginning and the middle
Fish
Explain how the similarities between these embryos are used as evidence of a common ancestry.
These similarities are used between embryos as evidence of common ancestry because for example, fish and salamanders reproduce
almost the same and they both live in water, chicken and tortoise both lay eggs and live on
and rabbits and humans are both mammas

Station 3: Comparative Anatomy (Homologous Structures)

Table 5
Animal Function of Structure
Grabbing, holding, use one or more fingers, throwing,
Human

Swimming, paddling to water

Whale

Walking, killing prey

Cat

Flying, hanging down from caves

Bat

Flying, protection
Bird

Walking, sometimes killing prey

Crocodile

Table 6
Animal Comparison to Human Arm in Form Comparison to Human Arm in Function

Whale has a much shorter and thicker humerus, The whale fin needs to be longer to help in
Whale radius, and ulna. Much longer metacarpals. movement through water. Thumbs are not
Thumb has been shortened to a stub. necessary as the fins are not used for grasping.
Thin and smaller humerus, ulna, radius, and carpal. The cat arm is basically a leg as they need to walk on all
Fingers and phalanges all tightly together. Longer fours. Fingers are barely used for
Cat metacaroal grasDing as they can rust use their entire Daw

Bat has a ver thin and smaller humerus. ulna and radius.
Bat's don't have arms they have wings necessary for
Fingers are nonexistent. Metacarpal and phalanges are
flying.
Bat stretched longer and made very thin

Bird has a thicker but smaller humerus, ulna and radius. Birds like bats don't have arms they wings necessary for
Carpal stretched into one. Fingers flying.
Bird Nonexistent

Crocodile has a thicker but smaller humerus ulna and

crocodiles use this for walking as they are very long
radius. Metacarpal, phalanges and carpal stretched
creatures
Crocodile longer.
Station 4: Comparative Anatomy (Analogous Structures)
a) What is the function of these structures?
The function of these structures is to fly

b) How are they different in form? Give specific differences.

The bird wing is made of bones that are long and thin. Butterfly has no apparent bones

c) Do birds and insects share any structural (elements inside the wing) similarities that would suggest
they are closely related taxonomically?
Not really as bird's wings are more long and straight while butterfly's are more widespread and thin

Station 5: Comparative Anatomy (Vestigial Structures)

a) What is the biggest, most obvious difference between the body structures of these two fish?
The cave fish has no eyes and the mirrow does.

b) Assume the two fish came from the same original ancestor. Why might the cave fish have evolved
without eyesight?
Since the fish is in a cave that is probably dark and unable to see, so after time they adapted with no
eves

c) What kind of sensory adaptation would you hypothesize the cave fish has to allow it to navigate in a
cave, including catching and eating food?
Sensitivity to motion, sound, smell and taste

d) How are vestigial structures an example of evidence of evolution?

Vestigial structures first begin with every organ needed, when the environment changes adaptations and evolution happen. For example
the cave fish first started with eyes but their environment was a cave which is dark and hard to see, so they evolved with no eyes.
Table 7 (Vestigial Structures)
Structure Possible Function Why vestigial?

appendix (digests leaves in koala Koalas barely eat as they move very
Digestion slow
bears)

Balance
coccyx (tail bones) Do not have a tail

No need to prey and no need for

Hear in different directions (detect
muscles that move ears predators
predators or prey)

Extra grinding for hard foods Smaller jaws leaves no room for
Wisdom teeth
wisdom teeth (diet)

Station 6: Biogeography
a. What ecological conditions caused the similarities in the body plan of these animals?
They lived in dry places with a need for eating insects.

b. How can two species that look very different from each other be more closely related than two
other species that look similar to each other? (i.e. a dolphin and a rat are more closely related
than a dolphin and a shark)
Two species may be related but do not live in the same environment and therefore will not have the same unique adaptations.

Station 7: Observable Changes

a. What could have originally caused the existence of two forms of the same species of moth?
Mutations could have done this.

b. Why is variation among individuals so important to the process of natural selection? What are the
main sources of this variation?
Main sources of variation come from mutation. Variation is important for new traits that may help survival.
 c. What do you think cause the rapid change in the populations of peppered moths from a light to a
dark coloration?
There are many moths so reproduction causes many moths to be born so adaptations evolve faster. As well as survival

d. The British have instituted pollution controls on factories. What would happen to the moth
populations if the pollution created by the Industrial Revolution were to be reversed?
The moths might go back to their original colors with mutations or create something entirely new.

Station 8: Molecular Biology

Table 8
Number of Amino Acid Differences Number of Amino Acid Differences
Animal Animal
Compared to Human Cytochrome C Compared to Human Cytochrome C

Horse 5 Shark 14

Chicken 7 Turtle 8

Tuna 11 Monkey 1

Frog 9 Rabbit 4

a) Based on the Cytochrome C data, which organism is most closely related to humans? Why?

The monkey

b) Do any of the organisms have the same number of differences from human Cytochrome C? In
situations like this, how would you decide which is more closely related to humans?
None of the organisms have the same number of difference from the human Cytochrome C. What you can do is decide which is more
closely related to humans by comparing their anatomy, or comparing them to the human genes by using another protein.
 c) Using the shared molecular similarity data below, place the letter (inside the circle) representing
each species’ molecular difference to a target on the phylogenetic tree.
A B C D E F G
% divergent from human DNA 4.3 1.8 7.0 1.7 3.3 24.6 10.8

Common
Primate
Ancestor

Analysis:
1. Given the amount of research and evidence available on evolution, why is it classified as a theory?
2. Charles Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species in 1859. Of the different types of
evidence that you have examined, which do you think he relied upon the most, and why?
3. How can Darwin legitimately argue about the imperfection of the fossil record and then go on to
show how the fossil record can be used to support evolution?
4. How are mass extinctions good evidence in favor of evolution?
5. Why are transitional species, such as the ancestors of modern whales or horses, crucial evidence
for evolution?
6. Fly embryos and frog embryos differ from each other more than frog embryos and ape embryos
do. What does this imply about how these groups may be related?
7. What are the differences between "homologous" organs and "analogous" organs? Find some
examples of your own.
8. The bones of a human arm are very similar to the bones in a bird’s wing and a dolphin’s flipper.
What does this similarity in structure reveal about the ancestry of these animals?
9. Even if a "rudimentary organ" actually has a function about which we observers are unaware (e.g.,
if vestigial pelvic bones of a whale may function to support gonads), why would it still provide
excellent evidence in support of evolution by descent?
10. Explain how sequences of amino acids in proteins can be used to reveal relationships among
organisms.
Conclusions:
Explain how each of the following provides evidence for evolution:
 Fossil evidence
 Comparative embryology
 Comparative anatomy
o homologous structures
o analogous structures
o vestigial structures
 Biogeography
 Observable changes
 Molecular biology