A phylogenetic tree grouping that consists of a common ancestor and all of its descendants is known as a ________ group.
A) monophyletic
B) paraphyletic
C) polyphyletic
D) polytomy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A monophyletic group includes all descendants of a common ancestor, and thus satisfies the criterion of evolutionary relatedness. B) Paraphyletic group excludes one or more groups of descendants that share a common ancestor with other included groups, which makes the group non-evolutionary. C) Polyphyletic group includes organisms with different ancestors, and thus does not show evolutionary relatedness. D) Polytomy is a branch point in a phylogenetic tree with more than two descendants, which does not refer to a grouping of organisms.

A Phylogenetic Tree Grouping That Consists of a Common Ancestor