What is an example of a homologous organ?
Q: What is an example of a homologous organ?
A: The evolution of the eye is an example of a homologous organ which many animals have.
Q: What does opsin do?
A: Opsins control the conversion of photons into electrical signals.
Q: When did complex eyes evolve?
A: Complex eyes seem to have first evolved in a few million years, in the rapid burst of evolution known as the Cambrian explosion.
Q: Is there evidence for eyes before the Cambrian period?
A: There is no evidence of eyes before the Cambrian, but many eyes can be seen in fossils from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale.
Q: How do eyes vary between organisms?
A: Eyes vary in their acuity (accuracy of sight), their sensitivity in low light levels, and their ability to detect motion or identify objects. Their sensitivity to wavelengths decides whether they can see in colours, and which colours they can see.
Q: What role does melanopsin play?
A: Melanopsin, an opsin found in mammalian retinas, is involved in circadian rhythms and pupillary reflex but not vision.
Q: What event marks when complex eyes began evolving?
A: Complex eyes began evolving during the rapid burst of evolution known as the Cambrian explosion.
