The lakes of northern Minnesota are home to many similar species of damselflies of the genus Enallagma. These species have apparently undergone speciation from ancestral stock since the last glacial retreat about 10 thousand years ago. Sequencing which of the following nucleic acids or proteins would probably be most useful in sorting out evolutionary relationships among these closely related species?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) evolves relatively rapidly and is often used to sort out evolutionary relationships among closely related species. It is inherited maternally and does not undergo recombination, making it particularly useful for tracing lineage and differentiating between species that have recently diverged.

The Lakes of Northern Minnesota Are Home to Many Similar