How does embryology provide evidence that species may be changing over time?

• A. Embryology indicates that embryos of different species have completely different genetic material.
• B. Embryology demonstrates that all species develop unique embryonic structures unrelated to other species.
• C. Embryology shows that embryos of different species have similar developmental stages, suggesting common ancestry.
• D. Embryology reveals that species do not undergo any changes during their embryonic development.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Embryology is the study of embryos and their development. It provides insights into the similarities and differences in the early stages of development across different species.
2. One key observation in embryology is that embryos of different species often exhibit similar developmental stages, which suggests that they may share a common ancestry.
3. For example, vertebrate embryos (such as those of fish, birds, and mammals) show similar structures like pharyngeal pouches and tails during certain stages of development, even though these features may not be present in the adult forms.
4. These similarities in embryonic development suggest that these species may have evolved from a common ancestor, supporting the idea of evolutionary change over time.
5. Thus, embryology provides evidence for evolution by demonstrating that different species can have similar embryonic stages, indicating a shared evolutionary history.