Ancestry

What is Ancestry?

Ancestry refers to the lineage or historical line of descent from which an organism, group, or species has evolved. In biology, ancestry traces the genetic and evolutionary connections between present-day organisms and their ancestors, helping to understand how traits and species have developed over time through shared heritage.

Where Animals Come From

Ancestry traces the animals that came before, like parents, grandparents, and ancient ancestors. It reveals how animals connect and how traits like fur color, size, or behavior pass through generations.

Common Ancestry and Phylogenetic Trees

Examples of common ancestry and phylogenetic trees in phylogeny:

1. Humans and Apes: Humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas all share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago. A phylogenetic tree shows how humans and apes branched off from this ancestor, with humans on one branch and chimpanzees and gorillas on others.
2. Birds and Dinosaurs: Birds share a common ancestor with certain dinosaurs, which explains their dinosaur-like features, such as similar bone structures. A phylogenetic tree shows birds as part of the dinosaur lineage, branching from a shared ancestor millions of years ago.
3. Wolves and Domestic Dogs: Wolves and domestic dogs have a common ancestor, which is why they look and behave similarly. In a phylogenetic tree, wolves and dogs are on nearby branches, showing that they split from the same ancestor and evolved into separate species.
4. Elephants and Mammoths: Elephants and the extinct woolly mammoths share a common ancestor. A phylogenetic tree would show them on branches that connect back to this shared ancestor, showing how they are related through evolution.

Examples of Ancestry

• Wolves and Dogs: Modern dogs came from wolves thousands of years ago. Humans bred them for different traits, like size or friendliness.
• Birds and Dinosaurs: Scientists believe birds are descended from certain types of dinosaurs, like Velociraptors!
• Whales and Land Mammals: Whales are related to ancient land animals that lived millions of years ago.

How Scientists Study Ancestry

• Fossils: Fossils show what ancient animals looked like and how they lived.
• DNA: Scientists study DNA to see how closely animals are related.
• Behavior: Some behaviors, like how animals hunt or care for young, are passed down from ancestors.