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Question

Anteater is a placental mammal that resembles _______ of Australian marsupials.

A
bobcat
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B
numbat
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C
spotted cuscus
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D
flying phalange
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Solution

The correct option is B numbat
The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starting from a common ancestor and radiating to other geographical areas, gets adapted to the new environmental conditions is called adaptive radiation. Australian marsupials are perfect examples of adaptive radiation. A number of marsupials, each different from the other, evolved from a common ancestor, but all within the same Australian continent. Placental mammals also exhibit adaptive radiation.

Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in different organisms because they live in similar environments. When more than one adaptive radiation appears to have occurred in an isolated geographical area with different habitats, it can also be referred to as convergent evolution. Australian marsupials and placental mammals are examples of evolutionary convergence where different groups of organisms resemble each other because natural selection has favoured similar changes for survival in the similar habitats. Example: Anteater is a placental mammal that resembles numbat of Australian marsupials.

Figure: Convergent evolution of Australian marsupials and placental mammals

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