What were whales pelvic bones used for?
As whale hips stopped mattering to walking, they didn’t stop mattering to having sex. In male whales, the pelvis controls the penis with an especially elaborate set of muscles. In some whale and dolphin species, these muscles make the penis downright prehensile.
Why do whales have vestigial pelvic girdles?
When the bone structure of the whale is noticed it is seen that girdles allow the bones of the limbs to attach to the whole axial skeleton. In the case of whales the hindlimbs are not required due to their permanent adaptation to aquatic life. So these girdles are not of use in the whale.
Why did whales lose their legs?
In findings to be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say the gradual shrinkage of the whales’ hind limbs over 15 million years was the result of slowly accumulated genetic changes that influenced the size of the limbs and that these changes happened sometime late in …
What do whales pelvic bones suggest quizlet?
Whales have pelvic bones (which are vestigial) that suggest that they have an ancestor that used to walk on land before adapting to the water. This evidence is strong because it is objective-fossils are facts and part of science.
Do whales have vestigial limbs?
Hind Leg Bones in Whales Once the land-dwelling creatures evolved, there were some mammals that moved back into the water. Despite the apparent uselessness, evolution left traces of hind legs behind, and these vestigial limbs can still be seen in the modern whale.
What is true about the pelvis and femur in whales living today?
The pelvis and femur in whales are considered vestigial structures.
Did whales used to fly?
Despite the fact that the idea seems somehow strange, simply because whales do not fly, it is true! Prof. The humpback whales are known for their acrobatic moves and high speed, despite the fact that they are among the largest creatures on earth.
What is suggested by the small pelvic and leg bones of whales?
Whales have especially small pelvic bones compared to their body size. For a long time scientists figured that the bones are so small because they are vestigial, a shrunken evolutionary remnant from an ancestor that once walked on land.
What conclusion can you draw from the fact that many modern whale species have vestigial pelvic and leg bones?
EVOLUTION QUIZ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What conclusion can you draw from the fact that many modern whale species have vestigial pelvic and leg bones? | The ancestors of whales may have been land mammals |
| Feature that is similar in structure in different organisms but has different functions is an example of: | Homologous structures |
What do whales use their limbs for?
Whales do the same thing as they swim, showing their ancient terrestrial heritage. As whales began to swim by undulating the whole body, other changes in the skeleton allowed their limbs to be used more for steering than for paddling.
How many legs does a whale have?
The ancestors of whales once strode on land on four legs, just as other mammals do. Over time, as they evolved to dwell in water, their front legs became flippers while they lost their back legs and hips, although modern whales all still retain traces of pelvises, and occasionally throwbacks are born with vestiges of hind limbs.
How many bones are in the pelvis?
The pelvis is made up of 6 bones: 2 ilium bones, 2 ischium bones and 2 pubic bones.
What are whale bones?
whale·bone (wāl′bōn′, hwāl′-) n. 1. The elastic, horny material forming the fringed plates that hang from the upper jaw of baleen whales and strain plankton from the water.