Tasmanian wolf is a marsupial while wolf is a placental mammal. This shows `:`

Options

A. convergent evolution
B. divergent evolution
C. parallelism
D. inheritance of acquired characters

Answer

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Identify the Organisms**: The question presents two organisms: the Tasmanian wolf (a marsupial) and the wolf (a placental mammal).

2. **Understand Their Classification**: The Tasmanian wolf belongs to the group of marsupials, which are characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young that typically continue to develop in a pouch. The wolf, on the other hand, is a placental mammal, which means it gives birth to more fully developed young after a longer gestation period.

3. **Determine Their Evolutionary Relationship**: Both the Tasmanian wolf and the wolf have evolved from a common ancestor, but they have adapted to different environments and lifestyles, leading to their distinct classifications.

4. **Identify the Type of Evolution**: The question asks what type of evolution is demonstrated by the differences between the Tasmanian wolf and the wolf. Since they have developed similar features (like being carnivorous predators) despite their different evolutionary paths (marsupial vs. placental), this is an example of convergent evolution.

5. **Conclude the Answer**: Therefore, the relationship between the Tasmanian wolf and the wolf illustrates convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.

**Final Answer**: The Tasmanian wolf is a marsupial while the wolf is a placental mammal. This shows convergent evolution.

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