[Campbell Biology P.528] The presence of pharyngeal throat arches and a post-anal tail in al... | Practice Question

The presence of pharyngeal throat arches and a post-anal tail in all vertebrate embryos at some stage of development Figure 22.16 is presented as evidence for which evolutionary concept?

  • A: Convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.
  • B: Genetic drift, which causes random changes in gene frequencies within populations.
  • C: Homology, indicating a shared evolutionary history and common ancestry among vertebrates.
  • D: Sexual selection, where certain traits are favored for reproduction.

Explanation

The text explicitly states regarding these embryonic similarities: 'Descent from a common ancestor can explain such similarities.' This directly aligns with the concept of homology.