Evidences of Evolution

TYPES OF EVOLUTION
Divergent Evolution
• Definition: new species evolves from a
common ancestor
 TYPES OF EVOLUTION
Convergent Evolution
• Definition: unrelated species become
similar as they adapt to similar
environments
 TYPES OF EVOLUTION
Parallel Evolution
• Definition: development of a similar trait
in related, but distinct, species descending
from a common ancestor
 TYPES OF EVOLUTION
Coevolution
• Definition: influence of closely
associated species on each other in
their evolution
Evidence for large-scale evolution
(macroevolution)
MOLECULAR
EMBRYOLOGY
BIOLOGY

BIOGEOGRAPHY FOSSILS

STRUCTURAL
EVIDENCES
 How do we know evolutionary
relationships?
Evidence can be:

Structural Molecular/Biochemical
1. Structural Evidence
Homologous Structures
• Similar internal structure, but different form and
function

Physical features shared due to common ancestor (Divergent

Evolution
1. Structural Evidence
Analogous Structures
• Similar external form and function, but different internal
structure.

Evolved independently but shared similar selective pressures

(convergent evolution)
1. Structural Evidence
Vestigial structures:
• Structures that are remnants of structures that were
functional in ancestral forms, but are now reduced in size
and serve little or no purpose.

Dysfunctional leg and pelvic bone

 The wings of a bat and the wings of a
butterfly are similar in that they both
allow the organisms to fly.

1. Are bats and butterflies closely related? NO

2. Are the wings on these two organisms Homologous or
Analogous Structures? ANALOGOUS
 A duck and a platypus are similar in that
they both lay eggs.

3. Are ducks and platypuses closely related? NO

4. Is egg laying in these two organisms an example of a
Homologous or Analogous trait? ANALOGOUS
Humans, Chimpanzees, and Gorillas all have similar hand
structures.
5. Are humans, chimps, and gorillas closely related? YES
6. Are the hands in these organisms examples of Homologous
or Analogous structures? HOMOLOGOUS
 Pigs and deer have similar ankle bones.

7. Are pigs and deer closely related? YES

8. Are the ankle bones of these organisms examples of
Homologous or Analogous structures? HOMOLOGOUS
 A shark and a penguin are similar in that
they both have flippers to propel them
through the water.

9. Are sharks and penguins closely related? NO

10. Are flippers in these two organisms an example of
Homologous or Analogous structures? ANALOGOUS
 Dogs and cats have similar paws.

11. Are dogs and cats closely related? YES

12. Are the paws of these two organisms an example of
Homologous or Analogous structures? HOMOLOGOUS
 Monarch and Blue Morpho
Butterflies have similar wings.

13. Are monarchs and morphos closely related? YES

14. Are the wings of these two organisms an example of
Homologous or Analogous structures? HOMOLOGOUS
15. Which species on the chart (A,B,C,D,E,F) is the common
ancestor? A
16. Did the round nose of Species E and Species F come from
the common ancestor? YES
17. Is the round nose of Species E and Species F a homologous
structure? YES
18. Did the square nose of Species D and Species G come from
the common ancestor? NO
19. Is the square nose of Species D and Species G a
homologous structure? NO
20. Are the cat ears of Species D and Species F homologous
structures? NO
21. Are the smiles of Species E and Species G homologous
structures? YES
2. Embryological evidence:
• Comparing embryos at various stages of development
may show similarities not present after birth.
 Embryology
Ernst von Baer (1828): the more closely related any two
species are, the more similar their development as embryos.

In this game, you will look at pictures of embryos and guess

what animal it is.
Is it a snake, chicken, possum, cat, bat or human?
Write your guess down in your notes, before you look at the
answer!
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s
Bat!your
prediction?
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s
Cat!your
prediction?
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s your
Snake!
prediction?
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s your
Chicken!
prediction?
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s
Human!your
prediction?
 Embryology

Are you sure

that’s your
Possum!
prediction?
3. Molecular biology
Like structural homologies, similarities between biological
molecules can reflect shared evolutionary ancestry. At the
most basic level, all living organisms share:
• The same genetic material (DNA)
• The same, or highly similar, genetic codes
• The same basic process of gene expression (transcription
and translation)
2. Molecular biology
a. DNA/Nucleic acids Sequences:
• Genes are in the chromosomes, which are made of
DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The more closely
related two living organisms are, the more similar
the sequence of their DNA molecules will be.
• the strongest evidence for evolution from a
common ancestor
2. Molecular biology
b. Proteins :
• Proteins are molecules that are
used to build up and repair body
parts. Scientists believe that the
more similar the structure of
protein molecules of different
organisms is, the more related they
are and the more recent the
existence of their common
ancestor. Unrelated species have
different amino acids.
 Molecular Biology
DNA sequencing:
A
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-T-G-G-C-C-T-
C-A-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-C-G-C-T-A-T-C
B
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-C-G-G-C-C-T-
C-A-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-A-G-C-C-A-T-C
C
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-T-G-G-C-C-T-
C-T-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-G-G-C-T-A-T-C

How many differences are there between sequence A and B?

 Molecular Biology
DNA sequencing:
A
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-T-G-G-C-C-T-
C-A-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-C-G-C-T-A-T-C
B
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-C-G-G-C-C-T-
C-A-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-A-G-C-C-A-T-C
C
A-G-C-T-A-G-G-C-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-A-A-T-G-G-C-C-T-
C-T-T-A-T-A-G-G-C-G-G-C-T-A-T-C
How many differences are there between sequence B and C?
Each human cell contains roughly three billion base
pairs, or bits of information. Just 1.2 percent of that
equals about 35 million differences. Some of these
have a big impact, others don't. And even two identical
stretches of DNA can work differently--they can be
"turned on" in different amounts, in different places or
at different times.
Determining relationships from similar features
• In general, biologists don't draw conclusions about how
species are related on the basis of any single feature
they think is homologous.
• Instead, they study a large collection of features (often,
both physical features and DNA sequences) and draw
conclusions about relatedness based on these features
as a group.
4. Biogeography
• is the study of the geographic distributions of
organisms.
• Darwin’s trip around South America allowed him to observe
the diversity of organisms in different areas and the
resemblance of such species of birds and tortoises in an
island to nearby mainland. Darwin believed that the group
of organisms in each island is adapted to a distinct way of
life. The common ancestors of these organisms had come
from one place, expanding out into other accessible regions.
Biogeography
explains the
distribution of
camel-like animals
as a result of
geographical
changes and
independent
evolution.
4. Evidence from Fossils
✓ Fossils are remains of ancient organisms trapped in rocks,
tar pits, frozen in ice or embedded in amber.
✓ The activities and behavior of ancient life forms also left
behind fossil traces (such as footprints, dungs, gastric
stones, nests and burrows) which scientists can study.
4. Evidence from Fossils
✓ The records found in the rocks show a gradual evolutionary
descent from simpler to more complex life forms.
✓ Paleontologists use the fossils found in rocks to track the
evolutionary history of many organisms.
Example:
✓ The ancestors of modern horses were short browsers with
diet of broad-leaved plants, shrubs and trees. They had
more toes (four in front, three at the back) which prevented
them from sinking in the soft, marshy ground.
✓ As the climate changed to drier conditions, foliage plants
were replaced by grass fields. Those with the characteristics
suited for this (tooth structure fit for eating hard, dry grass)
survived better.
✓ The forced grazers also became runners (with longer leg
bones and lesser toes) to be able run more efficiently in the
hard ground and to escape from predators.
Key points:
• Similar anatomy found in different species may be
homologous (shared due to ancestry) or
analogous (shared due to similar selective
pressures).
• Molecular similarities provide evidence for the
shared ancestry of life. DNA sequence
comparisons can show how different species are
related.
Key points:
• Biogeography, the study of the geographical
distribution of organisms, provides information
about how and when species may have evolved.

• Fossils provide evidence of long-term

evolutionary changes, documenting the past
existence of species that are now extinct.