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article with paired images- Convergent evolution is the process by which unrelated or distantly related organisms evolve similar body forms, coloration, organs, and adaptations. Natural selection can result in evolutionary convergence under several different circumstances. Species can converge in sympatry, as in mimicry complexes among insects, especially butterflies (coral snakes and their mimics constitute another well-known example).

The virtual lab includes four modules that investigate different concepts in evolutionary biology, including adaptation, convergent evolution, phylogenetic analysis, reproductive isolation, and speciation. Each module involves data collection, calculations, analysis and answering questions. The "Educators" tab includes lists of key concepts and learning objectives and detailed suggestions for incorporating the lab in your instruction.

This case study uses an interactive activity to illustrate density dependence in ecology classes. We developed a "hunt" using paper butterflies with warning signals on the upper side of the wings and symbols that indicate if a butterfly is noxious underneath the wings. Butterflies are distributed in four different patches with varying densities of noxious and palatable butterflies, simulating Batesian or Müllerian mimicry. Students can catch as many butterflies they want for a period of time, but if they catch more than three noxious butterflies they are out of the game. After the activity, students calculate the survival rate of each type of butterfly in each patch and discuss the implications of density and warning signals according to their results. Students then answer questions and build graphs using the data from the activity and knowledge from the class and the discussion. With this case study, students will be able to understand negative and positive density dependence, as well as predation, learning, and convergent evolution, while recalling or being introduced to Batesian and Müllerian mimicry.

That acoustic convergence suggests that an important element of language cognition may have been present 7 million to 13 million years ago, in the last common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans.