Analogy/Homology

1.     For my homologus traits provide the following information:

a.     Briefly describe the two different species that possess the homologus trait.

Zebras are best known for their distinctive black and white stripes. They are generally social animals and can be seen in small harems to large herds. Unlike their closest relatives, horses zebras have never been domesticated.

The horse is a hooved mammal a subspecies of the family Equidae. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC.

b.     Describe the homologus trait of each species, focusing on the different in structure and function of the trait. Why do these homologus traits exhibit differences between the two species?

The body structure of zebras is similar to horses and donkeys. They have strong, rounded, muscular bodies with long legs and one toe on each foot. They have large snouts and ears that are long, tapering and upright. The eyes of zebras are set high on their forehead, blessing them with a wide range of vision. They have strong incisor teeth and high-crowned molar teeth, which help them to chew and grind grass. Zebra's mane starts from the upper portion of the forehead and extends to the shoulder. It is erect, striped, and bordered with black color. The most striking feature of zebras, which differentiates them from horses and donkeys is the stripes. Pattern of stripes differ in the three species and their subspecies. The interesting fact is that it also differs in each individual zebra, making it almost a personal identification mark, like a birth mark! The backbone of zebras is straight and the tail is long. The tail has black horizontal stripes and a single black vertical stripe, which runs through the center. The tail ends in a bunch of black and white hairs.Normally, the height of a zebra varies from 4 to 5 feet and length between 7 to 9 feet. An adult zebra normally weighs between 300 to 430 kilograms, and sometimes it may even go up to 450 kilograms (Grevy's species).

The horse is a member of the "equus" family this is the homologus trait that the horse and the zebra share. This word comes from ancient Greece and means quickness.

The height of the horse is measured at the highest point of the withers, where the neck meets the back.

c.      Who was (generally, not specifically) the common ancestor of these two species and how do you know that ancestor possessed this homogulus trait?

Zebras were the second lineage to diverge from the earliest proto-horses, after the asses, around 4 million years ago, who are natives of Africa ,belong to the family (equus horses, and donkeys. There are three different species of zebras - Plains Zebra, Grevy's Zebra and Mountain Zebra, only Plains Zebra and Mountain Zebra have subspecies.

d.     Provide an image of each species in this comparison.

    

2.     For your analogous traits provide the following information:

a.     Briefly describe the two different species that possess the analogous trait.

The Aardvark (is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tbulidentata although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known.

Wild boar (also wild pig) is a species of the pig genus. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises.  The wild boar are native across much of Northern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia as far south as Indonesia.

b.     Describe the analogous trait of each species, focusing on the similarities in structure and function on the trait. Clearly explain why these analogous traits exhibit similarities between the two species.

The aardvark is vaguely pig-like in appearance. Its body is stout with an arched back and is sparsely covered with coarse hairs. The limbs are of moderate length. The front feet have lost the pollex (or 'thumb') resulting in four toes but the rear feet have all five toes

The body of the wild boar is compact; the head is large, the legs relatively short. The fur consists of stiff bristles and usually finer fur.

c.      All pairs of organisms share some common ancestor if go back far enough in time. Did the common ancestor of these two species possess this analogous trait? Why or why not?

The early settlers from Europe thought that the aardvark resembled a domestic pig. However, the aardvark is not closely related to the pig; rather, it is the sole recent representative of the obscure mammalian.

Wild boars are not native to North America. They were brought here from Europe, first by the Spanish explorers in the 1500’s (for food) and later in the 1900’s by people who wanted to hunt the pigs for sport. The wild boars you see today are the great grandchildren of the European boars brought here a long time ago. They are NOT pink with curly tails. Wild boars are large - sometimes 5 feet long, and weigh up to 300 pounds. They have stiff black fur and straight tails.

d.     Provide an image of each species in this comparison.