Use the following figure to answer the question.

"Rare events" can help us understand evolutionary events, as shown in the figure. Which of the following statements explains the logic of this approach?
A) Organisms with the mutation evolved convergently.
B) The mutation provided an adaptive advantage to the organisms that contained it.
C) Because the mutation likely occurred only once, all organisms with the mutation have a common ancestor with the mutation.
D) "Reverse evolution" does not occur.

Question

Use the following figure to answer the question.

"Rare events" can help us understand evolutionary events, as shown in the figure. Which of the following statements explains the logic of this approach?
A) Organisms with the mutation evolved convergently. 
B) The mutation provided an adaptive advantage to the organisms that contained it. 
C) Because the mutation likely occurred only once, all organisms with the mutation have a common ancestor with the mutation. 
D) "Reverse evolution" does not occur.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rare events, like mutations, are unlikely to occur multiple times in independent lineages. Therefore, if multiple lineages have the same rare event (such as a specific mutation), it is likely that they share a common ancestor that had that mutation. This allows us to infer evolutionary relationships and history.

Use the Following Figure to Answer the Question