EVOLUTION
REVIEW SHEET
Name______________________________
Date__________________Period_______
EVIDENCE FROM STRUCTURE
Studying the structures of organisms in order to discover their likenesses and differences is called comparative
anatomy. The study of comparative anatomy reveals the basic plan upon which all vertebrates are structured.
The variations on this plan appear to be the result of adaptation to environment. Study the illustrations below,
which show a comparison of the forelimbs of six animals. Use the same letters shown on the human arm to
label similar parts on the other animals’ forelimbs. Then fill in the blanks below.
1. The structures illustrated are called______________________________________________structures.
2. Each limb has a similar__________________________, but some have different__________________.
3. The similarity of structure is evidence that the animals_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
EVIDENCE FROM EMBRYOLOGY
Evolution occurs slowly. In most cases it is not possible to observe evolution in progress. However, evidence
of evolution can be found by observing the early stages of development in vertebrates. All vertebrate embryos
start out quite similar in appearance. This similarity has led scientists to infer that these organisms are related
through a common ancestor. The diagrams on the next page illustrate stages in the embryonic development of a
fish, a pig, and a human. Study the diagrams on the next page and then answer the following questions.
CH13 Rev Sheet-MD.docx
04/01/12
Fish
Pig
Human
How does a comparison of these embryos provide evidence of evolution?____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which of the above species would be most biochemically similar to humans, the fish or the pig?__________
Why?__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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EVIDENCE FROM MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Amino acid sequences of certain proteins can be used to determine how closely related different species are. If
the amino acid sequences for a certain protein are very similar in two species, one can assume that those two
species had a common ancestor. All 104 amino acids in the protein cytochrome c are identical in humans and
chimpanzees. The following chart shows how many of the amino acids in cytochrome c in other animals differ
from those in humans and chimpanzees. Study the chart, and answer the questions that follow.
1. Explain how this chart supports evolutionary theory.
__________________________________________
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CH13 Rev Sheet-MD.docx
04/01/12
Animal
Dog
Dogfish shark
Rattlesnake
Rhesus monkey
Number of
Amino Acid Differences
in Cytochrome C
8
24
12
1
2