Evidence of Evolution

Interpreting the Evidence

Fossils

Allows scientists to infer the structures of ancient organisms

Fossils show that organisims that lived in the past were very different than organims alive today

similarites in early development

during early development many organisms share common characterisitic i.e. a tail and a row of tiny slits along their throats

these similarities suggest that vertebrates species are related and share a common ancestor

similarities in body structures

the similarities in bone structure of a dolphin bird and dog suggest they have a common ancestor

homologus structures- similar strucures that related species have inherited from a common ancestor

Inferring species relationships

similarities in dna

the more similar the dna sequences the more closely related the species are

scientists can also compare the order of amino acids in a protein to see how closely related two species are

combining evidence

combined methods increases accuracy of identifying relationships between species

bears and giant pandas are more closely related because they have a more recent common ancestor

branching trees

branching trees- diagram that shows how scientists think different froups of organisms are related

how do new species form

a new species can form when a group of individuals remains isolated from the rest of its species long enough to evolve different traits

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