I’m not well versed in alien evolutionary theory at all, but wouldn’t differences in gravity, water, temperature, air makeup etc cause a significantly different evolutionary path? Earth is a Goldilocks planet for human life, have we considered that other planets may be a Goldilocks for something else?
I am leaps and bounds from an expert, but as I understand it, it’s something that’s been thought of, certainly. But it’s very very difficult to search for something when the paramaters for it are very broad.
On the flip side, we have a decent idea of what it takes to sustain life as we know it. It’s far, far easier for us to search for that.