Question

Both ancestral birds and ancestral mammals shared a common ancestor that was terrestrial. Today, penguins (which are birds) and seals (which are mammals) have forelimbs adapted for swimming. What term best describes the relationship of the bones in the forelimbs of penguins and seals, and what term best describes the flippers of penguins and seals?

Answer 1

Answer:

The bones in the forelimbs of penguins and seals are homologous and the flippers in penguins and seals are analogous.

Explanation:

The flippers of penguins and seals are analagous because they have similar functions but they did not come from the same evolutionary origin. Their separate ancestors evolved them to cope with their respective environments. However, the bones in the forelimbs of penguins and seals are homologous because they both inherited their forelimbs from common ancestors with the same bones in their forelimbs.