An anthropologist discovers the fossilized heart of an extinct animal. The evidence indicates that the organism's heart was large, was well-formed, and had four chambers, with no connection between the right and left sides. A reasonable conclusion supported by these observations is that the ________.
A) animal had evolved from birds
B) animal was endothermic and had a high metabolic rate
C) animal was most closely related to alligators and crocodiles
D) species had little to no need to regulate blood pressure

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The large, well-formed four-chambered heart with no connection between the right and left sides is a characteristic of endothermic animals with a high metabolic rate, such as birds and mammals. Therefore, option A is not correct. The fact that there's no connection between the right and left sides rules out reptiles like alligators and crocodiles, so option C is not correct. Finally, the information provided does not give any indication about the animal's need to regulate blood pressure, so option D is not correct.

An Anthropologist Discovers the Fossilized Heart of an Extinct Animal