Structural similarities shared by a wide array of distantly related species that are inherited from a remote ancestor, such as the number of bones in the forelimb, are termed
A) specialized
B) ancestral (primitive)
C) adaptive radiations
D) analogies
E) derived (modified)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Structural similarities that are inherited from a remote ancestor are considered primitive (ancestral) traits. The other options do not fit this description - specialized traits are unique to a particular species or group, adaptive radiation refers to the diversification of a group into multiple species in response to different environments, analogies are similarities that evolved independently in different lineages due to similar selective pressures, and derived traits are modifications that have evolved in a particular lineage after diverging from a common ancestor.

Structural Similarities Shared by a Wide Array of Distantly Related