Which of the following is an example of exaptation?
A) Some insects do not develop wings when resources are plentiful.
B) Human middle ear bones are derived from ancestral gill arch tissue.
C) Wings of bats and wings of birds are homologous.
D) Mutation rates can increase at higher temperatures.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Exaptation refers to the evolution of a structure or trait for one purpose and then later being co-opted for a different function. The fact that human middle ear bones are derived from ancestral gill arch tissue is an example of exaptation, since gill arches originally evolved for filtering food particles in aquatic organisms, but were later modified for hearing in tetrapods. Option A is an example of phenotypic plasticity, Option C refers to homology, and Option D refers to a physiological response to environmental conditions.

Which of the Following Is an Example of Exaptation