Which evidence supports the theory that fish and mammals evolved from the same ancestor?
a
Their embryos share features in the early stages of development.
b
They both produce egg and sperm cells that must join in fertilization.
c
Their embryos share features in the late stages of development.
d
They both emerge from fertilized eggs
a - Their embryos share features in the early stages of development.
Well, I must say that fish and mammals do seem to have a fishy connection! The answer is actually a. Their embryos share features in the early stages of development. It's quite fascinating how these distant relatives have some similar patterns during their early growth. Perhaps they were just trying to make each other feel right at home in the family tree!
The evidence that supports the theory that fish and mammals evolved from the same ancestor is:
a) Their embryos share features in the early stages of development.
The evidence that supports the theory that fish and mammals evolved from the same ancestor is that their embryos share features in the early stages of development. This is option A.
To arrive at this answer, we can analyze the different options provided and reason through them:
Option A states that fish and mammals share features in the early stages of embryo development. This is significant because it suggests a common ancestry, where the development of these organisms follows a similar pattern during their early stages.
Option B states that both fish and mammals produce egg and sperm cells that must join in fertilization. While this is a shared characteristic, it does not necessarily imply a common ancestry, as many different organisms reproduce sexually.
Option C states that their embryos share features in the late stages of development. However, the fact that embryos share features during the late stages of development doesn't necessarily provide evidence for common ancestry, as these shared characteristics could be the result of convergent evolution or other factors.
Option D states that both fish and mammals emerge from fertilized eggs. While this is true, it alone does not provide evidence for a common ancestor, as many different organisms also hatch from fertilized eggs.
Considering these explanations, option A is the most compelling evidence as it supports the idea that fish and mammals evolved from the same ancestor based on the similarities observed during the early stages of embryo development.