The nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis...

Name: Problem 18, Chapter 49: Biology: The Dynamic Science
Uploaded: 2021-09-16T22:14:53-08:00
Duration: 3 min 42 s
Channel: Caroline Jones
Description: The nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae are both hermaphroditic. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that the last common ancestor of these two species had a normal malefemale mechanism of reproduction. What does this evidence suggest about their hermaphroditism?

The nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae are both hermaphroditic. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that the last common ancestor of these two species had a normal malefemale mechanism of reproduction. What does this evidence suggest about their hermaphroditism?

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Key Concepts

Convergent Evolution

This concept refers to the independent evolution of similar traits in different lineages. In the context of the question, the fact that both species exhibit hermaphroditism despite inheriting a malefemale reproductive system from their last common ancestor suggests that hermaphroditism evolved separately in each lineage after they diverged, exemplifying convergent evolution.

Ancestral State Reconstruction

This concept involves using phylogenetic evidence to infer the traits of ancestral species. In the question, determining that the last common ancestor had a typical male–female reproductive system allows researchers to conclude that the hermaphroditic condition seen in the current species is a derived characteristic rather than an inherited ancestral trait.

Evolution of Reproductive Strategies

This concept encompasses the study of how reproductive systems change over time as species adapt to their environments. The independent emergence of hermaphroditism from a malefemale reproductive system illustrates the dynamic nature of reproductive strategy evolution, where similar selective pressures can lead species to develop comparable reproductive adaptations even when starting from a different ancestral state.

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