what are two animals that are completely different but are related?

Question

are they cousins

Answer 1

Humans and apes.

Answer 2

If you are asking about two animals that aren't related at all but look similar, the process of forming the two animals is called convergent evolution, meaning that, though the two animals aren't closely related they are very similar.

One example of convergent evolution is the evolution of flight. Insects, birds, mammals, and (now extinct) pterodactyls all have wings and could fly, but they are all (mostly) unrelated.

Another example is the marsupial mole and the true mole. The marsupial mole is a marsupial, and therefore more closely related to a kangaroo, while a true mole is much more like a shrew.

Answer 3

Well, if you go back far enough, all animals are related to each other in some way.

There are a few critters for whom their closest living relatives are widely disparate in their lifestyle and form.

For example, the closest living relatives to the elephants are a group of chunky, groundhog looking critters known as hyraxes. About the size of large rabbits, hyraxes live throughout Africa and the Mid-East. They are sometimes also called conies.

Although they are the closest living relative to each other, they are not really all that close. It's more a matter of most of their other relatives having gone extinct.

For real disparity in physical appearance between creatures that are pretty closely related, you need to look to the world of insects.

Just within the families of parasitic wasps, there is a great range in size and shape. There are tiny egg-parasites such as Trichogramma that are barely visible to the naked eye http://www.herbsandapples.com/img/t-wasp.jpg Other parasitic wasps, like Megarhyssa http://www.forest.nsw.gov.au/bush/autumn2006/images/08.jpg are large enough to freak out even the stoutest of bug lovers. Yet they are relatively closely related species.

Answer 4

The first 8 answers were given by people living in La-la-land.

EVERYBODY should know that the answer is the Iguana and the Potato.

Answer 5

an eagle and a peguin, man and a chimp, spider and scorpion, fish and a whale shark....there are endless possibilities depending on just HOW diffecnt your question allows for. Its an interesting thought though

Answer 6

The closest living relative of the manatee is the elephant...

Answer 7

whale and hippo (share a common ancestor)

human beings and apes and monkeys (common ancestors). Well, not THAT different after all.

shark and stingrays

insects, spiders, lobster (common ancestor)

Answer 8

Rats and Javalina (collared peckory). They are both rodents.

Answer 9

Primates and bats are related.

Answer 10

A horse and a rhino.