Which of the following best represents a situation where a feature becomes less useful through evolution?

Which of the following best represents a situation where a feature becomes less useful through evolution?

• A. Natural Selection
• B. Adaptive Radiation
• C. Vestigial Structures
• D. Convergent Evolution

Answer: (C)

The situation where a feature becomes less useful through evolution is best represented by vestigial structures. These are anatomical features that have lost most or all of their original function through the course of evolution. An example of a vestigial structure in humans is the appendix, which is thought to have had a role in the digestion of cellulose in ancestral herbivorous species, but in modern humans, it serves minimal purpose and is largely considered redundant. This concept highlights the process of evolution and how it often leads to changes in the utility of certain traits. Features that were once advantageous can become obsolete as environmental conditions change or as a species adapts through natural selection. Thus, vestigial structures clearly illustrate how evolutionary processes can render certain adaptations less useful over time.

The situation where a feature becomes less useful through evolution is best represented by vestigial structures. These are anatomical features that have lost most or all of their original function through the course of evolution. An example of a vestigial structure in humans is the appendix, which is thought to have had a role in the digestion of cellulose in ancestral herbivorous species, but in modern humans, it serves minimal purpose and is largely considered redundant.

This concept highlights the process of evolution and how it often leads to changes in the utility of certain traits. Features that were once advantageous can become obsolete as environmental conditions change or as a species adapts through natural selection. Thus, vestigial structures clearly illustrate how evolutionary processes can render certain adaptations less useful over time.