A phylogenetic tree constructed using sequence differences in mitochondrial DNA would be most valid for discerning the evolutionary relatedness of ________.
A) archaeans and bacteria
B) fungi and animals
C) chimpanzees and humans
D) sharks and dolphins

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mitochondrial DNA is commonly used to study the evolutionary history of closely related organisms, such as chimpanzees and humans, because it is maternally inherited and evolves rapidly. The other choices either involve distantly related organisms (archaeans and bacteria), kingdoms with diverse morphologies (fungi and animals), or distantly related groups within the same class (sharks and dolphins) making it less ideal for phylogenetic analysis.

A Phylogenetic Tree Constructed Using Sequence Differences in Mitochondrial DNA