Name ______________________________ Class ___________________ Date __________________
Section 4: Evidence of Evolution
Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Evidence of common ancestry among species comes from many sources.
VOCABULARY
biogeography
analogous structure
homologous structure
vestigial structure
MAIN IDEA: Evidence for evolution in Darwin’s time came from several sources.
anatomy
embryology
fossils
geography
In the diagram below, fill in the type of evidence below the examples.
1. Traces of ancient animals are
found in rock layers.
______________________
2. Species in one area may match
species in another area that is
separate but still nearby.
______________________
Evidence for evolution
in Darwin’s time came
from several sources.
3. Two different species may have
larvae that are very similar.
______________________
4. The body parts of different
species may have
homologous structures.
______________________
5. Why is it significant that the vertebrates share several developmental
homologies?
MAIN IDEA: Structural patterns are clues to the history of a species.
Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence or answers
the question.
6. Pelvic bones in snakes are an example of a(n)
a. homologous structure.
b. analogous structure.
c. vestigial structure.
d. fossil.
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Holt McDougal Biology
1
Principles of Evolution
Name ______________________________ Class ___________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued
7. What conclusion can you draw from the fact that many modern whale species
have vestigial pelvic and leg bones?
a. The ancestors of whales may have been land mammals.
b. Whales could walk if they wanted to.
c. Whales are preparing to evolve into land mammals.
d. Some day whales will be able to walk and will have legs.
Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase from the box.
analogous structure
homologous structure
vestigial structure
_______________
8. Feature that is similar in structure in different organisms but has
different functions
_______________
9. Feature that performs a similar function in different organisms but is
not similar in origin
_______________
10. Feature that is not evidence of a common ancestor
_______________
11. Remnant of an organ or structure that had a function in an early ancestor
_______________
12. _______ Examples include the wing of a bat and the hand
of a human
_______________
13. Examples include the wing of a bird and the wing of an insect
_______________
14. Examples include the wing of an ostrich and the appendix of a human
Sketch it Out
Use Figure 4.4 to sketch a skeleton of a human hand next to the whale fin skeleton
shown below. Draw lines to match the groups of bones that are homologous for
these two structures.
A
B
C
D
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Holt McDougal Biology
2
Principles of Evolution