The presence of vestigial organs supports evidence of evolution because
A) the vestigial organ is unique to one species.
B) the vestigial organ is similar to a functional organ in a related species, having been passed down from a common ancestor.
C) both the vestigial organ and the functional organ perform the same function.
D) the vestigial organ could not have been passed down from an ancestor.
E) the vestigial organs represent variation in a species. Vestigial organs are organs that are not useful to the organism but are still part of its anatomy. An ancestor possessed the organ at a time when it served an important function. As the environment changed, the organ was no longer needed for survival, but organisms still inherit the structure.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Vestigial organs, such as the human appendix or the wings of flightless birds, are remnants of structures that served a function in an ancestor but are no longer useful in the current environment. The fact that these structures are similar to functional organs in related species suggests that they were passed down from a common ancestor and were modified over time as the environment changed. This supports the theory of evolution and the idea of descent with modification.

The Presence of Vestigial Organs Supports Evidence of Evolution Because