The wings of a bird and the wings of a bat both form from the front appendages (arms). The bird wing is covered by feathers and the bat wing consists of a thin layer of skin stretched between the "finger" bones. Are the wings of the bird and bat homologous or analogous?
A)homologous because they evolved from the same body part
B)analogous because birds' flight requires feathers and bats use skin; both are wings, but they evolved differently
C)both; they are homologous because they both evolved from a front appendage, but analogous because they evolved differently
D)neither, because birds and bats do not share a recent common ancestor

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The wings of the bird and the bat are homologous because they both evolved from the front appendages, specifically the arms. However, they are also analogous because they evolved differently and serve different purposes. The feathers of birds are adapted for flight and thermoregulation, while the thin skin of bats is adapted for flight and echolocation. Therefore, both homology and analogy apply to the wings of birds and bats.

The Wings of a Bird and the Wings of a Bat