Question

Which pair of animals provides a commonly cited example of convergent evolution?

Options

• The placental mouse and the marsupial mouse

• The Galapagos finch and the American finch

• The placental wolf and the Tasmanian wolf

• Darwin's finches and Australian marsupials

Answer 1

A commonly cited paired example of convergent evolution is the placental wolf and the Tasmanian wolf (a marsupial). Despite being from separate lineages and phylogenetically distinct, they share similar body forms. This resemblance arose because they evolved independently under similar environmental pressures, filling similar ecological roles in their respective environments.