Name _________________________

Group Members ________________________

________________________
INVESTIGATING EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION
Directions: You will be investigating information and pictures at 4 different stations, each representing
different evidences for evolution. You will make observations and answer a series of questions for each of the
stations with your group members. When you have finished, this packet will be collected and graded as a quiz.
Part I. Comparative Anatomy. You are a Physical Anthropologist. Your job is to compare the structures,
functions, types, and numbers of bones found in various organisms. You look for both similarities and
differences
Part II. Embryology. You are an Embryologist. Your job is to study the reproductive development stages of
various organisms. You have recently focused your research
Part III. Comparative Biochemistry. You are a cytologist and a biochemist. As a cytologist, your job is
to compare cellular structures of various organisms. As a biochemist, your job is to compare the nitrogenous
base sequences of specific genes in various organisms.
Part IV. Fossils. You are an anthropologist that is responsible for looking for new fossils. You have jobs
around the world and pay careful attention to the types of sedimentary rock layers that have been formed
throughout history in order to make accurate predictions about the origins of the fossils that you find.

HAVE FUN!

Part I: Comparative Anatomy

A. Look at DIAGRAM A. This diagram is showing you limb structures of four different
species, specifically a penguin, alligator, bat, and human.
1. What observations can you make about these pictures?
Similarities:

Differences:

2. Are all of these bones (types and numbers of each) found in each animal pictured?

3. Complete the following chart which shows how each of the bone structures are
utilized by each organism:
ANIMAL

FUNCTION

DO NOT ANSWER YET:

All of the bones pictured here have the same _________________ but different
_________________.
These are called ___________________ ___________________.
How do ______________________ _____________________ show evidence for the theory of
evolution?

B. Look at DIAGRAM B. This diagram also shows limb structures. The species pictured
here are a bat, bird, and insect.
1. What do you notice about the organisms pictured here? Write down a few
observations concerning both the organisms themselves and the structures
pictured (size, type, use, etc.).
Similarities:

Differences:

2. Complete the Following Chart.

ANIMAL

FUNCTION

3. Which organism do you know is more closely related to the bat? The bird or the
insect? Justify your prediction with evidence from the diagram.

DO NOT ANSWER YET:

All of the bones pictured here have the same _________________ but different
_________________.
These are called ___________________ ___________________.
Do these structures indicate common ancestry among all three of these species?

Define convergent evolution.

C. Look at the structures pictured/listed here in DIAGRAM C.
1. Do you recognize any of them? Which ones? What do you think they have in
common with each other?

2. Do you know any one who has had any of these removed? Which ones? Did they
survive?

3. Look at DIAGRAM D which illustrates the bone structure of a Baleen Whale. The
structure circled is the whales hind limb. Cats, Horses, and Rabbits have hind
limbs which are used for walking. Based on this information, and the location of
the hind limbs in the whale, what purpose do they serve in the whale?

4. Look at DIAGRAM E. You had a tail when you were still in the womb. Did you know
that? Why do you think you had one? Why werent you born with it?

5. What does this information tell you about the necessity of these structures?

DO NOT ANSWER YET:

These are called ______________ ________________.
How do ___________________ _________________ evidence for the theory of evolution?

Part II. Comparative Embryology.

1. Take a look at Diagram F. This diagram shows an early stage of embryonic
development in four different organisms. What observations can you make?

2. Take a look at Diagram G which illustrates embryonic development patterns for

three different species.
a. Look at row 1. Each picture represents a different species at an early
stage of embryonic
development. Which species do you think each diagram
represents? (TAKE A GUESS!)

b. Look at row 2. Can you identify any organisms now?

c. Still looking at row 2, what similarities and differences do you notice now?

d. Look at row 3. Can you identify any organisms now?

e. Row 4 represents the fully developed adult of each organism. What can
you tell us about
these species developmental patterns?

3. Look at Diagram H. This diagram shows you the embryonic development of eight
different vertebrates (organisms with backbones).
a. Based on this diagram, which species would you predict is most closely related
to the fish?
Justify your prediction with evidence from the diagram.

b. Based on this diagram, which species would you predict is most closely related
to the hog?
Justify your prediction with evidence from the diagram.

4. How does comparative embryology provide evidence for the theory of evolution?

Part III. Comparative Biochemistry

Cytochrome-C is an enzyme found in almost all living things. It is involved in the metabolic process
that converts energy stored in food to useable cellular energy, that is, cellular respiration. The protein chain that
makes up the enzyme is 60 amino acids long. Even though all organisms have this enzyme, there is slight
variation in the exact amino acid sequence between organisms.
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE IN CYTOCHROME-C
ORGANISM
Human

AMINO ACID SEQUENCE

GDVEKGKKIFIMKCSQCHTVEKGGKHKTGPNLHGLFGRKTGQAPGYSYTAANKNKGIIWG

Bakers Yeast GDPTTGAKIFKTKCAQCHTVEKGAGHKQGPNLNGLFGRQSGTTAGYSYSAANKMNAVIWE

Chicken

GDVEKGKKIFVQKCAQCHTVEKGGKHKTGPNLHGLFGRKTGQAPGFTYTDANKNKGITWK

Chimpanzee

GDVEKGKKIFIMKCSQCHTVEKGGKHKTGPNLHGLFGRKTGQAPGYSYTAANKNKGIIWG

Donkey

GDIEKGKKIFVQKCSQCHTVEKGGKHKTGPNLHGLFGRKTGQAEGFSYTDANKNKGITWG

Fruit Fly

GDVEKGKKLFVQRCAQCHTVEAGGKHKGVPLNHGLIGRKTGQAAGFAYTNANKAKGITWQ

Rhesus
Monkey

GDVEKGKKIFIMKCSQCHTVEKGGKHKTGPNLHGLFGRKTGQAPGYSYTAANKNKGTWG

The letters stand for one of the 20 amino acids. The actual amino acids are not as
important as their sequence for this exercise, so just consider the letters.
1. Determine the number of differences in each amino acid chain compared to the HUMAN (hint: I have
already put the differences in bold). Then calculate the percentage difference by first dividing the
number of differences by 60 and then multiplying that number by 100.
2. Complete the following chart. The first one has been completed as an example for you.
Organism

Rhesus Monkey

Number of
Differences with
Human

% Difference

3/60 = 0.05
0.05 x 100 = 5%

3. Do you see any relationship between the number of differences and the relatedness of the organisms?

4. Using these differences as a guide, with which organism did we share the most recent common ancestor?
Why do you think so?

5. Again, using the differences as a guide, with which organism did we share the most distant common
ancestor? Why do you think so?

6. Would you be able to draw a family tree of the organisms above using the differences as a guide to
show which organisms are most closely related ? Try filling in the family tree drawn below placing
one organism on each drawn line.
(HINT: YOU CAN USE DIAGRAMS I AND J TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMPLETE THIS
CHART. DO NOT COPY FROM THE OTHER DIAGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE SAME)

Rhesus Monkey

HUMAN

DO NOT ANSWER YET:

This type of a diagram is called a ________________________
Part IV. Fossils
1. What is a fossil? If you arent sure, look up the definition in the textbook provided to
you.

Look at DIAGRAM K. This Diagram shows you a variety of fossils. Fossils can be formed by many
different processes and they have been found all over the world.
2. How do evolutionary biologists benefit from the fact that fossils can be formed from
many different processes?

3. Look at DIAGRAM L. Do you remember seeing diagrams like this in Earth Science? This diagram
shows you various rock layers that have been formed over extremely long periods of time.
a. Which rock layer is the oldest? Why do you think so?

b. Which rock layer is the youngest? Why do you think so?

5. Look at DIAGRAM M. This diagram shows you where some fossils were found within each rock layer.
a. Which fossil is the oldest?; Which fossil(s) are the youngest?
b. What do you think happened to the species that formed fossils 3, 4, and 5?
c. Which fossil represents the species that is the fittest? Why do you think so?

6. Diagrams N, O and P show fossil records that trace the evolutionary history of whales,
humans, and camels. What observations can you make? What questions do you have?

7. How do you think this information is useful in understanding evolution (how species
change over time)?