THE FLIPPERS OF A WHALE AND THE FINS OF A FISH ARE EXAMPLES OF

• A. divergent evolution
• B. co-evolution
• C. continuous variation
• D. convergent evolution ✓

The answer to the question is: D. convergent evolution

The flippers of a whale and the fins of a fish are examples of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution refers to the process by which different species independently evolve similar traits or characteristics due to similar environmental pressures, despite not being closely related. In the case of whales and fish, both have evolved similar appendages (flippers and fins) for locomotion in water, despite their distinct evolutionary lineages.

Whales are mammals, belonging to the order Cetacea, while fish are a diverse group of aquatic vertebrates belonging to multiple taxonomic classes such as Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) and Osteichthyes (bony fish). Despite their evolutionary distance, both whales and fish have adapted to their aquatic environments by developing streamlined bodies and appendages that aid in swimming. This similarity in the structure and function of their appendages is a classic example of convergent evolution.

Convergent evolution occurs when different species face similar selective pressures in their environment, leading to the independent development of analogous traits. In the case of whales and fish, the need for efficient swimming in water has driven the evolution of similar appendages, despite their distinct evolutionary origins.