Analogous structures are a result of:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Convergent evolution
Option (1) Divergent evolution — Incorrect. Divergent evolution gives homologous structures: the same basic structure changed for different uses, as in the forelimbs of whales, bats, cheetahs and humans. It shows common ancestry.
Option (2) Convergent evolution — Correct. Analogous structures are different in structure but do the same job, like the wings of a butterfly and of a bird. Living in similar habitats has made them look alike.
Option (3) Genetic drift — Incorrect. Genetic drift is a change in allele frequency by chance, mostly in small populations. It does not make unrelated organisms develop similar organs.
Option (4) Point mutations — Incorrect. A point mutation is a change in a single base pair of DNA, as in sickle-cell anaemia. It is a source of variation, not the reason two groups evolve look-alike organs.
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NCERT Extract:
What Are the Evidences for Evolution? – “… Homology is based on divergent evolution whereas analogy refers to a situation exactly opposite. Wings of butterfly and of birds look alike. They are not anatomically similar structures though they perform similar functions. Hence, analogous structures are a result of convergent evolution - different structures evolving for the same function and hence having similarity. Other examples of analogy are the eye of the octopus and of mammals or the flippers of Penguins and Dolphins.”