Answer to Question #197580 in Biology for Drishti Kumari

Question

With the help of an example explain how homology represents the consequence of adaptive radiation from a common ancestor.

Answer 1

Adaptive radiation is an evolutionary process when organisms diverge rapidly from an ancestral species into several new forms. This process is caused by a change in the environment, sources, biotic interactions and new environmental niches. However, although the process results in species' speciation and phenotypic adaptation and acquisition of different morphological traits, homologous structures are still present in the diverged species and perform the same function while their specificity might be different. For example, Darwin's finches on Galapagos islands adapted for a specialized feeding behavior with changing beak shapes.