LAQ : What is vestigial organ? Write in brief the vestigial organs of plants and animals

Question

What is vestigial organ? Write in brief the vestigial organs of plants and animals

Answer

Vestigial organs are structures that have lost their original function over the course of evolution. Here are some examples of vestigial organs in plants and animals:

Vestigial organs in plants:

1. Stipules – small leaf-like structures that are found at the base of some plant leaves.
2. Floral nectaries – structures that produce nectar but are no longer necessary for pollination.
3. Seed coats – structures that protect the seed but are no longer necessary in some plants that have evolved other means of protection.

Vestigial organs in animals:

1. Human appendix – a small, finger-like structure at the end of the large intestine that has lost its original function in digestion.
2. Wings of flightless birds – such as ostriches and emus, which have wings that are too small to support flight.
3. Pelvic bones in whales – vestigial remnants of the ancestral hind limbs that have lost their function in swimming.