Read the following statements carefully: I. Sweet potato and potato are homologous structures as they both store food. II. Similarities in proteins and genes performing a given function among diverse organisms indicate common ancestry. III. Thorns of Bougainvillea and tendrils of Cucurbita represent convergent evolution. IV. The eyes of the octopus and mammals are examples of analogous structures. How many of the abo

Step-by-step solution

Statement I is incorrect. Sweet potato is a root modification while potato is a stem modification. Since they have different anatomical origins but perform the same function of food storage, they are analogous structures, not homologous. Statement II is correct. Biochemical similarities in proteins and genes among diverse organisms provide evidence for common ancestry, similar to morphological homologies. Statement III is incorrect. Thorns of Bougainvillea and tendrils of Cucurbita arise from the same axillary bud