Origin and Evolution of Life — BIOLOGY STD 12 Science — Question

1. Analogous organs are similar in function but dissimilar in structural details.
2. They do not help to trace the relationship in the evolution but help to understand the convergent evolution.
3. Structural modifications in the organs are due to similar habitat.

E.g.
(i) Wing of an insect and wing of a bird, both are useful in flight so they are functionally similar but are structurally different. Insect wing is formed by exoskeleton expansion while bird wing is the modified forelimb.

(ii) Eye of the Molluscan octopus and of eye of mammals. They differ in their retinal position, structure of lens and origin of different eye parts, but both perform function of vision.

(iii) The flippers of penguins (birds) and dolphins (mammals).

(iv) Sweet potato which is a root modification and potato which is a stem modification, both perform similar function of storing starchy food.