- A Organs that share an identical function but arose from a largely different evolutionary origin altogether, unrelated in ancestry
- B Organs with same basic structure and evolutionary origin but different functions (e.g., forelimbs of whale, bat, human, frog)
- C Identical organs found largely unchanged across nearly every animal species and phylum studied so far
- D Organs that have mostly lost their original ancestral function gradually over a long span of evolutionary time
Correct answer: B. Organs with same basic structure and evolutionary origin but different functions (e.g., forelimbs of whale, bat, human, frog)
Explanation: Homologous organs have the same basic structure (pentadactyl limb) and common evolutionary origin but different functions in different species. They show divergent evolution. Example: human arm, bat wing, whale flipper, horse leg - all modified from same ancestral limb.
Concept context
Origin of life, Darwin's theory, natural selection, speciation, and evidence for evolution.