Figure 20.1
-If Figure 20.1 is an accurate depiction of relatedness, then which of the following should be correct?
1) The entire tree is based on maximum parsimony.
2) If all species depicted here make up a taxon, this taxon is monophyletic.
3) The last common ancestor of species B and C occurred more recently than the last common ancestor of species D and E.
4) Species A is the direct ancestor of both species B and species C.
5) The species present at position 3 is ancestral to C, D, and E.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The entire tree is based on maximum parsimony, a method that infers phylogenetic trees by minimizing the total number of evolutionary changes. If all species depicted make up a taxon, it is monophyletic, meaning it includes an ancestor and all its descendants. The last common ancestor of species B and C occurring more recently than that of species D and E is consistent with typical phylogenetic tree interpretations.

Figure 20.1 -If Figure 20.1 Is an Accurate Depiction of Relatedness, Then