If you were using cladistics to build a phylogenetic tree of cats, which of the following would be the best outgroup?
A) wolf
B) domestic cat
C) lion
D) leopard

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An outgroup in cladistics is a species or group of species that is closely related to but not part of the group of interest. In this case, the group of interest is cats. A wolf (A) is a member of the Canidae family, which is closely related to but outside the Felidae family (cats), making it the best outgroup among the options. Domestic cat (B), lion (C), and leopard (D) are all members of the Felidae family and would not serve as appropriate outgroups for a phylogenetic tree of cats.

If You Were Using Cladistics to Build a Phylogenetic Tree