Question

Vestigial appendix of man suggests that our ancestors were

• A. Carnivores
• B. Sanguivores
• C. Herbivores
• D. Insectivores

Answer 1

The correct option is C Herbivores

The human appendix had previously been proposed to be a vestigial structure, a structure that has lost all or most of its original function. The vermiform appendix has been proposed to be the shrunken remainder of the cecum that was found in a remote ancestor of humans. A possible scenario for the progression from a fully functional cecum to the current human appendix was put forth by Charles Darwin. He suggested that the appendix was used for digesting leaves as primates. It may be a vestigial organ of ancient humans that has degraded to nearly nothing over the course of evolution. The very long cecum of some herbivorous animals, such as found in the horse or the koala, appears to support this theory. The koala's cecum enables it to host bacteria that specifically help to break down cellulose. Human ancestors may have also relied upon this system, when they lived on a diet rich in foliage. As people began to eat more easily digested foods, they may have become less reliant on cellulose-rich plants for energy. As the cecum became less necessary for digestion, mutations that were previously deleterious were no longer important, so the mutations have survived. It's suggested that these alleles became more frequent and the cecum continued to shrink. After millions of years, the once-necessary cecum degraded to be the appendix of today. Thus, option C is correct.