Question

Auks, such as Razorbills and Murres, are birds that breed in the cold latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Auks tend to have a plumage that exhibit “countershading”, being dark on the top (dorsal) and white on the bottom (ventral). We find this color pattern repeated in many other organisms on Earth, such as sharks, zebras, and other birds. Physically, Auks have short rounded wings that they are able to use as flippers when pursuing prey underwater, they are “pursuit divers”. Most species of auk are also able to fly, but the largest species, the Great Auk, was flightless. Auks are related to gulls (order Charadriiformes). In the colder latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere we find Penguins. Penguins share many of the physical and behavioral characteristics that Auks possess, such as counter-shading, short, flipper-like wings used in pursuit diving. Penguin species tend to be larger than auks, and none are able to fly. Penguins are related to petrels (Order Procellariiformes). Considering other orders of birds, note that flightlessness is strongly associated with large body size (Ostriches, Kiwis, Dodos). Discuss why organisms, such as auks and penguins, that are unrelated and occupy completely different ranges on the planet, can be so similar in structure and behavior.

Answer 1

The organisms such as auks and penguins, that are unrelated and occupy completely different ranges on the planet, can be so similar in structure and behavior.

Reason: It has been found that some bird species that are quite unrelated can develop analogous song characteristics if held together in similar conditions for periods of time in an environment. It is the environment that decides what characteristics, behavior, and structure will come in the species.

Species may have similar traits even though they're not associated with one another. This typically results as a result of the species live in similar environments and fill similar ecological roles. The structures, in this case, are referred to as analogous structures.

The process that brings these traits forward is named convergent evolution. convergent evolution is survival of the fittest that favors a constant form of structure in numerous ancestors. The similarity between convergent evolution-affected species is named homoplasy, which accurately means that 'from constant mildew or kind.'