Which are more likely to be closely related: two species with sim...

Question

Which are more likely to be closely related: two species with similar appearance but divergent gene sequences or two species with different appearances but nearly identical genes? Explain.

Accepted Answer

Welcome back. Let's look at our next problem. It says the Australian mole and the north american mole both have specialized claws for digging. Based on this statement. What can we conclude about these two species? So let's recall that. We're just thinking about these specialized digging claws. Nothing else about these animals. So let's just walk through the answer. Choices. Choice A. Says they came from a common ancestor. Well you cannot conclude that this could have been convergent evolution and indeed it is um which would result in a similar outward features not due to common ancestry. So Choice A. Is not the correct answer. Choice B says they are the products of divergent evolution. Well, this would not be the answer either because they're not the products of divergent evolution because they don't look different divergent evolution occurs when you have a common ancestor but different features. Choice C. Is the structure of their claws is a primitive feature. Well, this isn't something we can necessarily conclude about these two species, we don't know anything about when it emerged other than they both have them now. So that's not our answer. So finally, we're on to Choice D. Both are burrowing animals and this is our correct answer. That is about all we can conclude from their specialized digging claws, what they use them for borrowing. See you in the next video

Which are more likely to be closely related: two species with similar appearance but divergent gene sequences or two species with different appearances but nearly identical genes? Explain.

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