The antifreeze proteins found in fish that live in very cold waters has evolved independently in the Arctic and in the Antarctic, and not because of shared ancestry. Which of the following can be said about its evolution?
A) The antifreeze proteins in Arctic and Antarctic fish are homologous.
B) The antifreeze proteins in Arctic and Antarctic fish are homoplasies.
C) The Arctic and Antarctic fish form a clade.
D) Both a and c
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Homoplasy refers to the evolution of similar traits independently in different lineages. Since the antifreeze proteins in Arctic and Antarctic fish evolved independently and not because of shared ancestry, they are homoplasies. Homologous traits are similar due to shared ancestry, so choice A is incorrect. The fact that the proteins evolved independently also means that the Arctic and Antarctic fish do not form a clade, so choice C is incorrect. Therefore, the best choice is B.

The Antifreeze Proteins Found in Fish That Live in Very