Which one of the following statements about the evolution of direct development in limpets is false?
A)Loss of structures in the transition from presence of a larval stage to direct development may inhibit evolutionary reversal.
B)Cladistic analysis suggests that the independent evolution of direct development occurred six times in limpets.
C)Cladistic analysis suggests that re-evolution of the larval stage in limpets that have lost it would be the most parsimonious conclusion.
D)This study shows that evolution always proceeds parsimoniously.
E)Possession of a larval stage is the ancestral state in limpets.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement "This study shows that evolution always proceeds parsimoniously" is false. While parsimony is often a guiding principle in evolutionary biology, not all evolutionary changes follow the simplest or most parsimonious route.

Which One of the Following Statements About the Evolution of Direct