NEETZoologyEvolution
Which of the following evolutionary concepts is incorrectly matched with its example?
Options
- ALiving fossil - Limulus
- BConnecting link - Archaeopteryx
- CVestigial organ - Nictitating membrane in humans
- DAtavism - Wisdom teeth in humans
Correct answer
D. Atavism - Wisdom teeth in humans
Step-by-step solution
Wisdom teeth (third molars) in humans are vestigial organs, not an example of atavism. Vestigial organs are those which are present in a reduced form and are useless to the possessor, but were fully developed and functional in the ancestors. Atavism refers to the sudden reappearance of an ancestral trait that had been lost during evolution (e.g., a short tail in a newborn baby or dense body hair). Limulus (King crab) is a classic example of a living fossil. Archaeopteryx is a connecting link between reptiles and bi