How can two seemingly unrelated species that live in isolation from each other evolve into identical forms?

They don't evolve into identical forms, but can be strikingly similar. This is because different lineages can be subjected to very similar survival pressures, and that can give rise to very similar solutions. It's known as convergence.How can two seemingly unrelated species that live in isolation from each other evolve into identical forms?
I'd say the short answer is they can't but do you have any examples?





Species can develop similar morphology - for example sharks, crocodiles, icthiosaurs and cetaceans have shown similarity in shape at some points in the past. Some shapes are just successful enough for different species to develop them. Environmental pressure is a key factor here. But in all of these cases, they're not [exactly] the same, just similar.How can two seemingly unrelated species that live in isolation from each other evolve into identical forms?
Because the same adaptations help them survive, such as long noses for both dogs and thylacines. The adaptations result in superficial similarities. Consider that the environments are probably similar, such as forests, grasslands, prey animals of a certain size etc. It seems logical that similar adaptations would be favoured.
The first four answers are exactly correct. Unrelated species can evolve into *similar* forms, but not identical. Sometimes form is dictated quite strongly by environment ... an aquatic environment will produce the same shape in sharks and dolphins ... but the lateral orientation and up-and-down movement of dolphin flukes compared to the vertical orientation and side-to-side movement of shark tails show that their respective tails evolved from different materials.
Convergent evolution creates analogous structures. These are changes in organisms with different ancestors, but the structures appear similar. The North American cactus and Euphorbiaceae (found in Africa) would be an example - similar but not identical because of different ancestry. As the answerers above me have already said, the similarity occurs because the species live in similar environments and have evolved similar charactersitics.
Do you know about inbreeding and outbreding?Two organisms of unrelated species can't breed in between(outbreeding).So there won't be any chromosomal changes leading to an improved variety.Hence they will simply carry their own species' characters.