The hands of a human and the hands of a chimpanzee are similar in structure because humans
A)and chimpanzees share a recent common ancestor.
B)evolved from chimpanzees.
C)and chimpanzees evolved from different organisms that lived in similar environments.
D)artificially selected for chimpanzees with hands during domestication.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hands of humans and chimpanzees are similar in structure because they share a recent common ancestor. Both species belong to the same family of primates and have evolved from a common ancestor that had hand-like appendages. Over time, natural selection has favored variations in hand structure that are adaptive to the specific needs of each species. Therefore, similarities in hand structure between humans and chimpanzees are due to common ancestry and not because one evolved from the other or because of artificial selection.

The Hands of a Human and the Hands of a Chimpanzee