Comparative anatomy

The comparative anatomy is a branch of the Anatomie founded by Georges Cuvier which aims to compare the anatomy of different Espèce S, Animal are or Végétal be, to determine the Phylogénie of it. The comparative anatomy is an important source of empirical data for the Théorie of the evolution. The compared study of various species living in ecosystem S close relations or on the contrary different, also makes it possible to better include/understand the role of certain anatomical characteristics.

In comparative anatomy, it is a question of comparing not only appearance but also the structure of the bodies in order to distinguish the cases from homology from the cases from evolutionary analogy.

For example, the wing of a Bat with the same function as that of a butterfly, but not the same structure (it is said that they are similar bodies ). On the other hand, it with the same structure as the leg of a Horse or than the fin of a dolphin (it is said that they are homologous bodies ).

In this method of study, one shows that simple modifications in the proportions or the positioning of the components of the bodies are enough to change the function it.

The reorganizations are sometimes very deep. For example, the human Oreille is made up of a slit branchiale (the auditory canal) not completely bored (closed by the tympanum), and integral of the ossicles, which have the structure of the bones of the Mâchoire of the Poisson S.

When two bodies resemble each other (until sometimes in their structure) without having the same origin, one speaks about evolutionary Convergence, or Homoplasie . Thus, the fins of the Cétacé S very strongly resemble those of the Poisson S, in particular of the Requin S. But the Cétacé S are Mammifère S. Their fins are thus forefeet which changed during the evolution of this Taxon: There was convergence of the forefeet of the ancestors of the Cetacea towards the form fin which is very effective being to move in the liquid medium.

See too

Random links:Yann Bourc' hiz | Jacques Of Roure | Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi | Kartiack CR | Lucien Gander | Branche_indirecte