Name: _______________________________________ Date: _______________

Gr. & Sec.: _______________________________________ Score: _______________

Activity No. 1
Evidences of Evolution

I. Learning Competency:
Explain how fossil records, comparative anatomy and genetic information provide
evidence for evolution (S10LT-IIIf-39)

II. Objectives:
This activity consists of four parts which correspond to the four major evidences for
the evolution theory: fossil records, embryology, comparative anatomy and molecular
biology. This set of activities can be done individually or by group. Upon accomplishing the
activities, the students are expected to:
1. identify the four evidences of evolution; and
2. explain how each evidence supports evolution theory

III. Overview and Content

Populations constantly adapt in response to changes in the environment and thereby

accumulate changes in their genes. Evidences have been found which indicate that living
things have changed gradually during their natural history. Today, the major pieces of
evidence for the evolution theory can be broken down into the fossil record, embryology,
comparative anatomy, and molecular biology.

Evidence 1: FOSSILS
A fossil is the preserved remains of a dead organism from millions of years ago.
Evidence for early forms of life comes from fossils. By studying fossils, scientists can learn
how much (or how little) organisms have changed as life developed on Earth. They study
fossils in order to formulate hypotheses about the kinds of environments the organisms lived
in, their anatomical features, how they compared to other organisms of the time, and the
organisms that proceeded them. They can also determine the approximate ages of the fossils.
For example, highly detailed fossil records have been recovered for sequences in the
evolution of modern horses (Figure 1). Study the figure to answer the questions on how
fossils provide evidence for evolution.
Figure 1. Series of skulls and front leg fossils of organisms believed to be ancestors of
the modern-day horse.

Q1. Give two similarities between each of the skulls that might lead to the conclusion that
these are all related species (2pts)
The skulls all have a similar ridge that protrudes from the top. The overall shape is the
same. Each skull has a set of flattened teeth. Each skull has a large diastema, or gap
between the front and back teeth.

Q2. What is the biggest change in skull anatomy that occurred from the early horse to the
modern horse? (2pts)
The size of the skull is dramatically larger in the modern horse.

Q3. What is the biggest change in leg anatomy that occurred from the early horse to the
modern horse? (2pts)
The modern horse, in addition to having much longer legs, has developed hooves in place
of hand/foot bones.
 Q4. What do these fossil records suggest about evolution? (3pts)
These fossil records suggest that creatures adapt and envelope in accordance with the
changing ecosystem.

Evidence 2: COMPARATIVE ANATOMY

Another strongest form of evidence of evolution is comparative anatomy; comparing
structural similarities of organisms to determine their evolutionary relationships.
Organisms with similar anatomical features are assumed to be relatively closely related
evolutionarily, and they are assumed to share a common ancestor. As a result of the study
of evolutionary relationships, anatomical similarities and differences are important factors
in determining and establishing classification of organisms. There are two types of
anatomical structures: homologous and analogous structures.
Homologous structures are anatomical structures that are very similar in embryological
development and form, but very different in function.
Analogous structures are anatomical structures that function in very similar ways,
however, morphologically and developmentally these structures are very different.

Study Figure 2 to answer questions 4-7.

Figu
re 2.
Fron
t
limb
s of
hum
an,
cat,
whal
e
and bat

Q5. Describe the function of front limb for each animal in Figure 2 (4pts)
Animal Function
Human Using tools, picking up and holding objects
Cat Running, jumping, pouncing, climbing, catching prey.
Whale Swimming
Bat Flying, Gliding

Q6. Are the bones arranged in a similar way in each animal? (2pts)
These structures are formed in similar ways during embryonic development and share like
arrangements.

Q7. Are the front limbs of the given animals homologous or analogous? Explain your answer.
(2pts)
They are homologous. Homologous structures are similar physical features in organisms that
share a common ancestor, but the features serve completely different functions. Regardless of
whether it is an arm, leg, flipper or wing, these structures are built upon the same bone
structure.

Q8. What do their similarities suggest about their ancestor and evolutionary relationship?
(3pts)
These similarities are the result of divergent evolution. Divergent evolution is the process in
which organisms from the same common ancestor evolve and accumulate differences, often
resulting in a new species. This may occur due to pressures such as changes in abiotic or
biotic factors within the environment.

Study
Figure 3 to
answer
questions 8-
11.

Figure 3. Picture of the wing of a bat and a bird

Q9. What function do the structures in Figure 3 share? (2pts)
Flying and gliding.

Q10. How do they differ in form? (2pts)

They have completely different bone structure, but their wings share the same function,
allowing the animal to take flight.

Q11. Are the wings of the bat and bird homologous or analogous? Explain your answer.
(2pts)
They are analogous; similar physical features in organisms that do not share a
commonancestor. Instead, these structures are related to one another because they perform
the same function
Q12. What do their differences suggest about their ancestor and evolutionary relationship?
(3pts)
These are the result of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution is the process in which
two organisms that do not share a common ancestor evolve and develop similarities
independently of one another. These similarities form because the animals either live in
comparable environments or they experience the same environmental pressures, resulting in
the evolution of these features.
 Evidence 3: EMBRYOLOGY
Another evidence of evolution can be found by observing the early stages of
development in vertebrates (Figure 4). All vertebrate embryos start out similar in appearance.
This similarity has led scientists to think that these organisms have a common ancestor. Study
the diagram below showing the embryonic stages of different vertebrates.

Figure 4. Embryonic stages of different vertebrates

Q13. Look at the first stage of development for each organism in Figure 4. What conclusions
can you make from your observations? (2pts)
Each of the embryos has the same basic shape, including a tail. They all have external
segmentation where the backbone will eventually develop. They also all have gill slits, even
the animals that will eventually develop lungs.

Q14. Look at the last stage of development for each organism. What conclusions can you
make from your observations? (2pts)
Their shape has some similarity and some formed a tail while some formed feet. The hands
have developed as well.
Q15. Does this suggest an evolutionary relationship? Explain how these embryos can be used
as evidence of a common ancestor between each of these six organisms. (3pts)
The similarities between these embryos, especially at their early stages, are striking. While
each of these animals has a unique adult body structure, they all seem to have emerged from
the same early blueprint. These observations are probably not random coincidence – this
suggests a common ancestor between all these vertebrates.

Evidence 4: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Cytochrome c is a protein found in mitochondria. It is used in the study of
evolutionary relationships because most animals have this protein. Cytochrome c is made of
104 amino acids joined together. Amino acid sequences of certain proteins can be used to
determine how closely related different species are. If the amino acid sequences for a certain
protein are very similar in two species, one can assume that those two species had a common
ancestor.
Study Figure 5 which shows the number of differences in amino acids in the
cytochrome c of human and different organisms.

Figure 5. Chart showing the differences in the amino acids in cytochrome c of

different organisms

Q16. Based on the data given in the chart, which organism/s is/ are most closely and least
related to human? (2pts)
 The chimpanzee has the closest relation to human while yeast has the least.

Q17. Supposed there is/are other organisms which happen to have the same number of
differences in amino acids in human cytochrome c, apart from the organism given in the
chart, how would you decide which is more closely related to humans? (2pts)
In this case, you would want to examine other forms of evidence -- other proteins, DNA, or
compare fossils and homologous structures.

IV.Conclusions:
Explain in paragraph form how fossil records, comparative anatomy (analogous and
homologous structures), embryology and genetic information serve as evidence of
evolution (5pts) .

The fossil record and comparative anatomy are basically the same type of evidence.
The fossil record is basically a record of the anatomy of the parts of past organisms
that get preserved. In both cases we see a pattern of shared similarities and divergence
differences that almost perfectly matched what we would expect to see if there was
shared common descent of organisms with modifications accumulating slowly over
time. The fossil record also provides a partial snapshot of individual features changing
over time, and progression between ancestral and descendant forms are obvious
everywhere. DNA provides an independent test of the above. It too shows a pattern of
shared similarity and divergent differences in a nested hierarchy that is compatible
with common descent with gradual modification.