The femur in a snake and pelvis in a whale are examples of

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about identifying the term that describes the femur in a snake and the pelvis in a whale.
First, consider what a vestigial structure is: a body part that has lost or reduced its original function through evolution but remains present in the organism as a remnant.
In snakes, the adult limbs are absent, yet small internal leg bones (such as a femur-like structure) can be found in some species, indicating that these bones are remnants of once-functional hind limbs from ancestors.
Similarly, whales possess pelvic bones that no longer anchor or support as they would in land-dwelling terrestrial mammals; these pelvic remnants are not tied to leg function in modern whales and thus reflect a reduced, vestigial state.
Therefore, both examples fit the concept of vestigial structures: anatomical remnants that were functional in ancestors but have lost their primary role due to evolutionary changes in lifestyle and locomotion.
If alternative options were present, you would assess each for whether it describes a structure that no longer serves its original purpose (vestigial), as opposed to homologous (derived from a common ancestor with a preserved function) or analogous (serving a similar function but arising independently) features, which would not apply here.
In this case, the best categorical match is vestigial structures, since the bones exist as vestiges of evolutionary history rather than as current, necessary components for the animal's present biology.

Biol-100-OLH-OMH-ONH Quiz #10

The femur in a snake and pelvis in a whale are examples of

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of the following statements provides the best explanation for the presence of very small hind limb bones in whales?

If a structure has no apparent function in one species, yet is homologous to a functional organ in another species, this structure is termed

The human tailbone is...

In a consumer society, many adults channel creativity into buying things

Economic stress and unpredictable times have resulted in a booming industry for self-help products

People born without creativity never can develop it

A product has a selling price of $20, a contribution margin ratio of 40% and fixed cost of $120,000. To make a profit of $30,000. The number of units that must be sold is: Type the number without $ and a comma. Eg: 20000

Which of the following statement regarding cost is correct:

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler