Why are potato and sweet potato called analogous organs?
A potato and sweet potato are called analogous organs because despite their similar function as nutrient storage organs, they have different evolutionary origins, origins from different plant species.
Definition of Analogous Organs
Analogous organs are structures in different species which perform the same or similar functions, but have not evolved from a common ancestor.
Potato and Sweet Potato as Analogous Organs
The potato, a root, comes from the Solanum tuberosum plant, while the sweet potato is a tuberous root of the Ipomoea batatas plant. Despite both serving as storage organs for their respective plants, their structural and developmental patterns are different, identifying them as analogous organs.
Comparison and Contrast
These organs are analogous as they serve similar purposes (storage of nutrients), but differ in their anatomical structure due to disparate evolutionary paths.
Conclusion
Therefore, potato and sweet potato, despite their similar roles, have different origins and are considered analogous organs in the field of biology.
What defines analogous organs? Analogous organs are structures in different species that have similar functions but have not evolved from a common ancestor.