For a given pair of closely related species, an ancestral character is
A) found in the common ancestor of the group, but is lost in both of the descendant species.
B) replaced by derived characters at the point of the split of the last common ancestor into two new species.
C) found in the last common ancestor of the pair, and may be present in one, both, or neither of the species.
D) found in the last common ancestor of the pair and at least one of the species.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An ancestral character is a characteristic that was present in the last common ancestor of a pair of closely related species, and may be present in one, both, or neither of the descendant species. It is not necessarily lost or replaced by derived characters at the point of the split, as stated in options A and B. It may also be present in both of the species, as stated in option D. However, the most accurate description is that the ancestral character is found in the last common ancestor and may be present in one, both, or neither of the descendant species.

For a Given Pair of Closely Related Species, an Ancestral