Question

Adaptive convergence is the development of

• A. randomly mating populations
• B. common set of characters in closely related groups
• C. dissimilar characters in closely related groups
• D. common set of characters in groups of different ancestry

Answer 1

The correct option is D common set of characters in groups of different ancestry

Adaptive convergent evolution refers to the same or similar characters or phenotypes produced by species from independent lineages under similar selective pressures.

Independent evolution, or autonomous development of similar structures in two different groups result in serving a similar function to adapt or act towards the new conditions. However, since these structures were absent in their last common ancestor. This goes to prove that the groups that evolved did not share a common ancestor. So, when unrelated organisms who independently adapt and evolve a similar set of characters without jointly inheriting them from a common ancestor is called adaptive convergent evolution.