X, Y, and Z are three animals. The animal X can fly but animal Y can only run on ground or walls. The forelimbs of animals X and Y have the same basic design but they are used for different purposes such as flying and running respectively. The animal Z became extinct a long time ago. The study of fossils of Z tells us that it had some features like those of X and some like those of Y. In fact, Z is said to form a connecting link in the evolutionary chain of X and Y.
(a) What could the animals X, Y and Z be?
(b) What name is given to the forelimbs like those of X and Y which have the same basic design but different functions ?
(c) Name one feature in which Z resembled X.
(d) Name one feature in which Z resembled Y.
(e) Which is the correct evolutionary chain involving X, Y and Z : `X rarr Z rarr Y or Y rarr Z rarr X` ?

Answer

X : Bird ; Y : Lizard ; Z : Dinosaur (b) Homologous organs (c) Both Z and X had feathered wings like those of birds (d) Both Z and Y had tail like those of reptiles (e) `Y rarr Z rarr X `