Antlers vs. Horns
Posted by joanna on February 21, 2005
Q: what is the evolutionary advantages of antlers versus horns? .... which is more evolved?
A: It would be very difficult to determine whether there is an advantage of antlers versus horns. Both of these structures evolved independently and serve the needs of these animals but whether one is "better" than another is another matter. It's not uncommon for two different kinds of animals to evolve similar anatomic structures. Both snakes and legless lizards are just one example of this and in science we call it convergent evolution.
John Wiessinger ( February 24, 2005)
Filed under: Mammals