Macroevolution Vs Evolution

1. Define analogous and homologous traits and provide an example of each.

Animal classifications and the field that specializes in it is called taxonomy. Traditionally, organisms are categorized according to their physical similarities. This was the first systematic classification constructed by Carolus Linnaeus in the eighteenth century. Currently, basic physical similarities are considered, however, for these similarities to be of any help, they must reflect evolutionary descent. Furthermore, "structures in organisms that are shared by species on the basis of descent from a common ancestor are called homologies (Jurmain et al. 110)." Homologies are illustrated by the similarities found in the forelimbs bones of the following land vertebrates
Furthermore, seeing the word evolution most of us think it is the development of a new species, however, that is not the only form of evolution. Evolution "is an ongoing biological process with more than one outcome (Jurmain et al. 5)." In other words, evolution is a change in the genetic makeup of a population from one generation to the next and it can be divided into the following categories: macroevolution and microevolution (Jurmain et al. 5)." To further illustrate, some genetic changes in populations do result in the appearance of a new species, also known as speciation, and particularly seen when those populations are isolated from each other (Jurmain et al. 5). This level of evolution is known as macroevolution. On the other hand, there are genetic changes within a given population and while these changes may not lead to speciation it can cause populations of a species to vary from one another in the frequency of specific traits. Evolution such as this is known as microevolution (Jurmain et al. 5). Moreover, the similarities between macroevolution and microevolution are that they both heavily rely on the following evolutionary factors: mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection (Jurmain et al. 97-102). A great example of microevolution was described in the nineteenth century by Charles Darwin when he discovered 13 varieties of finches and
146). The suborder Strepsirhini includes the infraorder Lemuriformes, which includes lemurs and lorises, while the suborder Haplorhini consists of two infraorders: Anthropoidea and Tarsiiformes. The infraorder Anthropoidea, in particular, comprises of Anthropoids which include all monkeys, apes and humans (Jurmain et al. 147). Even though lemurs, lorises, and anthropoids are all primates there exist reasons why lemurs and lorises are classified in a different suborder and infraorder from anthropoids. Five traits of lemurs and lorises that distinguish them from anthropoids are the following: 1) lemurs and lorises have increased reliance on olfaction, which is reflected in the presence of a moist fleshy pad on the end of their nose, called a rhinarium. In contrast, anthropoids have a reduced reliance on olfaction, indicated by the absence of a rhinarium and a reduced size of the olfaction related structures in the brain. 2) lemurs and lorises have eyes placed more to the side of the face indicating a reduced reliance on vision that is not completely stereoscopic, while anthropoids have an increased reliance on vision, with eyes placed more to the front of the face (Jurmain et al. 150). Nevertheless, anthropoids have an even more complete stereoscopic vision (Jurmain et al. 151). 3) lemurs and lorises have a special derived