Convergent Evolution in Hummingbirds and Bees
How are the flight behaviors of hummingbirds and bees similar?
A. evolved independently in hummingbirds and bees
B. do not change the fact that hummingbirds and bees are genetically isolated from one another
C. are ancestral in bees but derived in hummingbirds
D. are homologous rather than analogous
Answer: A. evolved independently in hummingbirds and bees
Explanation: Hummingbirds and bees both display similar flight behaviors and diets, but these trait similarities are a result of convergent evolution, where similar adaptations evolve independently in unrelated species.
The flight of a bee and the flight of a hummingbird are similar in many ways, such as in speed of wing movement, ability to hover, and ability to back up. Also, both hummingbirds and bees eat nectar, a diet shared by few other birds. In these respects, hummingbirds are more similar to bees than they are to other birds, such as robins and ducks. Yet no one would classify hummingbirds with bees because their similar flight capabilities and diet evolved independently in hummingbirds and bees.
This concept is known as convergent evolution, where similar features evolve in different lineages separately. In this case, the wings of hummingbirds and bees are analogous structures - they perform the same functions but do not share a common evolutionary history, unlike homologous structures that are derived from a common ancestor.