Question:
Despite their striking morphological similarity to each other, Old World and New World vultures are not phylogenetically related. Old World vultures are most closely related to eagles, while New World vultures are most closely related to storks. The morphological similarity between Old World and New World vultures is an example of ____________.
Despite their striking morphological similarity to each other, Old World and New World vultures are not phylogenetically related. Old World vultures are most closely related to eagles, while New World vultures are most closely related to storks. The morphological similarity between Old World and New World vultures is an example of ____________.
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Check whether the two lineages are close relatives, which would suggest shared ancestry, or distant relatives that ended up looking alike because of a similar lifestyle.
Updated On: Jul 20, 2026
- adaptive radiation
- cladogenesis
- divergent evolution
- convergent evolution
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Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
Old World vultures (related to eagles) and New World vultures (related to storks) look alike, scavenging birds with bald heads and hooked beaks, even though they come from two separate branches of the bird family tree. We need to name the process that produced this similarity.
Step 2: Key Concept:
When two unrelated or distantly related lineages independently evolve similar traits because they face similar ecological pressures or lifestyles, this is called convergent evolution. The similarity here comes from shared function (scavenging), not shared ancestry.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Adaptive radiation describes one ancestral lineage rapidly diversifying into many different forms to fill different niches, that is not what is happening here since we have two separate starting lineages, not one radiating out. Cladogenesis just means a lineage splitting into two or more new lineages, it does not by itself explain why two separate lineages would end up looking alike. Divergent evolution describes related species becoming more different over time from a shared ancestor, the opposite of what we see here, since these vultures grow more alike despite not sharing a recent ancestor. Since Old World and New World vultures descend from different ancestors, eagles and storks respectively, but ended up with a similar bald headed, hook beaked scavenger body plan because both fill the same ecological role, this is a textbook case of convergent evolution.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The shared scavenging lifestyle, not shared ancestry, produced the resemblance.
\[ \boxed{\text{Convergent evolution}} \]
Old World vultures (related to eagles) and New World vultures (related to storks) look alike, scavenging birds with bald heads and hooked beaks, even though they come from two separate branches of the bird family tree. We need to name the process that produced this similarity.
Step 2: Key Concept:
When two unrelated or distantly related lineages independently evolve similar traits because they face similar ecological pressures or lifestyles, this is called convergent evolution. The similarity here comes from shared function (scavenging), not shared ancestry.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Adaptive radiation describes one ancestral lineage rapidly diversifying into many different forms to fill different niches, that is not what is happening here since we have two separate starting lineages, not one radiating out. Cladogenesis just means a lineage splitting into two or more new lineages, it does not by itself explain why two separate lineages would end up looking alike. Divergent evolution describes related species becoming more different over time from a shared ancestor, the opposite of what we see here, since these vultures grow more alike despite not sharing a recent ancestor. Since Old World and New World vultures descend from different ancestors, eagles and storks respectively, but ended up with a similar bald headed, hook beaked scavenger body plan because both fill the same ecological role, this is a textbook case of convergent evolution.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The shared scavenging lifestyle, not shared ancestry, produced the resemblance.
\[ \boxed{\text{Convergent evolution}} \]
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