Homologous Structures

My cat Mya is an animal that has parts that would be considered homologous structures, one being her arms as they share common characteristics to that of humans and other creatures.

Homologous structures are body parts from different species that more or less share the same purpose, but this isn't always the case. These are considered homologous structures because the species most likely shared a common ancestor, but now they hold different characteristics. An example of some homologous structures would be the similar bone structure and allignment that humans and animals such as birds and cats have in common.

Sources:
Homologous Structures. gsw.edu. Retrieved August 26, 2011, from http://itc.gsw.edu/faculty/bcarter/histgeol/paleo2/homol1.htm