The similarity of bone structure in the forelimbs of many vertebrates is an example of
Structures derived from a common ancestral structure (that may or may not be used for the same function in the species in which it occurs) are called homologous structures. A classic example of homology is seen in the skeletal components of vertebrates:
Frogs, birds, rabbits and lizards have differently shaped forelimbs, reflecting their different lifestyles. But those different forelimbs all share the same set of homologous bones — the humerus, the radius, and the ulna. Such homologies reveal the common ancestry of all these animals.