Creative

Creature Rubric Name:____________________________________

For this assignment, you will need to create a creature! This creature may be inspired by an animal, but you
need to make sure you imagine one that does not already exist anywhere in the world.

Your newly discovered creature lives on the continent of Australia. It has been discovered, through DNA
testing, that the animal is distantly related to the kangaroo. Interestingly enough, your creature shares some
physical similarities to both the crocodile and the emu, both also native to Australia. However, it has been
determined through DNA testing that your animal is not very closely related to either the emu or the crocodile
and it is not likely to have gotten these physical similarities from a common ancestor with emus or crocodiles.

You may design your creature any way you like as long as you include the following features:
1. A structure that is homologous to a structure on the kangaroo, even though the feature looks different.
2. A vestigial structure (that may be internal) that the kangaroo still uses but your creature does not.
3. A structure that is analogous to a structure on an emu, even though the feature looks similar.
4. A structure that is analogous to a structure on a crocodile, even though the feature looks similar.

In a complete sentence or two, explain to me why each feature you included was appropriate:
What does your creature use (or not use) it for and why does it fulfil the definition of a homologous,
vestigial, or analogous structure?
Lastly, remember to give your creature a new name for the scientific community to call it!

A rubric is included below that I will be grading your work from.
You may use the back of this sheet to complete your assignment.

0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points
Creative Creature Incomplete Your creature Name or color You creature has
already exists in the missing. been named and is
world. drawn in full color!
Homologous Incomplete Explanation missing The structure you Your homologous
Structure picked doesn't structure makes
make sense or was sense and was well
poorly explained. explained!
Vestigial Structure Incomplete Explanation missing The structure you Your vestigial
picked doesn't structure makes
make sense or was sense and was well
poorly explained. explained!
Analogous Emu Incomplete Explanation missing The structure you Your analogous
Structure picked doesn't structure makes
make sense or was sense and was well
poorly explained. explained!
Analogous incomplete Explanation missing The structure you Your analogous
Crocodile Structure picked doesn't structure makes
make sense or was sense and was well
poorly explained. explained!