What are the homologous organs? How do they help in providing evidence for organic evolution?
What are the homologous organs? How do they help in providing evidence for organic evolution?
Organs having different functions but similar embryogenic origin and development and having a similar relationship with adjacent organs are called homologous organs. They indicate a close relationship between their possessors. For example, the forelimbs of a human, the wing of a bird, the leg of a horse, and the flipper of a seal are all different from one another in function, yet they are all built on the same pentadactyl plan, having the same number of bones, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves arranged in the same pattern and developed similarly. Therefore, the most reasonable explanation is that the forelimbs of all these animals were inherited long ago from a common ancestor.
Organs having different functions but similar embryogenic origin and development and having a similar relationship with adjacent organs are called homologous organs. They indicate a close relationship between their possessors. For example, the forelimbs of a human, the wing of a bird, the leg of a horse, and the flipper of a seal are all different from one another in function, yet they are all built on the same pentadactyl plan, having the same number of bones, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves arranged in the same pattern and developed similarly. Therefore, the most reasonable explanation is that the forelimbs of all these animals were inherited long ago from a common ancestor.
