Coccygeal glomus

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/coccygeal-glomus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the anatomical location?Anterior or inferior to the apex of the coccyx
2. What is the classification?Considered a vestigial structure, also historically termed coccygeal gland or Luschka's gland
3. Why do scientists think it is a vestigial structure?Because it looks like a leftover from the tails of our ancestors, and it is now much smaller and less functional.
4. How does the coccygeal glomus help scientists learn about evolution?By studying it, scientists can see how tails changed over time and learn about the history of our species.

Vestigial Structure: An anatomical feature that has lost its primary function through evolutionary processes.
Comparative Anatomy: The study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species.
Phylogenetic Relationships: The evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.