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Evolution
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| evolution | The gradual change in a species over time |
| homologous structures | Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry. |
| vestigial structures | remnant of a structure that may have had an important function in a species' ancestors, but has no clear function in the modern species. |
| Embryology | Can show how different species share a common ancestor by observing similarities in early development |
| DNA comparisons | can reveal how closely related 2 species are and how long ago they shared a common ancestor |
| natural selection | A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits. |
| artificial selection | Selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms |
| structural adaptation | a physical feature of an organism's body having a specific function that contributes to the reproductive success of the organism |
| behavioral adaptation | something an animal does that helps it increase its reproductive success |