Why is it inaccurate to refer to early synapsids as "mammal-like reptiles"?
A) Mammals did not evolve from synapsids.
B) Synapsids do not nest within the clade Reptilia as we define it now.
C) The taxon Synapsida is actually polyphyletic.
D) The earliest synapsids had no features that we associate with reptiles today.
E) Synapsids and reptiles lived on different continents in the late Paleozoic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Synapsids evolved before the presence of reptiles as we define them now, and they diverged from the reptile lineage. Therefore, the term "mammal-like reptiles" is not accurate to describe early synapsids.

Why Is It Inaccurate to Refer to Early Synapsids as "Mammal-Like