You are conducting a comparative analysis of five species of elves.You find that four of the five species possess pointed ears,whereas the fifth does not.Further,no other closely related species has pointed ears.Which of the following is the most parsimonious conclusion about elvish ears?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This conclusion is the most parsimonious because it requires the fewest number of evolutionary changes. It suggests that pointed ears were present in the common ancestor of all elves, but lost in the fifth species. This is a simpler explanation than suggesting that pointed ears evolved independently four different times or that they evolved via a combination of adaptation and exaptation. Homoplasy does not apply here because there is no indication of convergence or parallel evolution.

You Are Conducting a Comparative Analysis of Five Species of Elves.You