- If the figure is an accurate depiction of relatedness, then which of the following should be an accurate statement?
A) If all species depicted here make up a taxon, this taxon is monophyletic.
B) The species present at position 4 is ancestral to species E, but not species D.
C) Species C is more closely related to species B than D is to B
D) The species present at position 3 is ancestral to C, D, and E.

Question

- If the figure is an accurate depiction of relatedness, then which of the following should be an accurate statement?
A) If all species depicted here make up a taxon, this taxon is monophyletic. 
B) The species present at position 4 is ancestral to species E, but not species D. 
C) Species C is more closely related to species B than D is to B 
D) The species present at position 3 is ancestral to C, D, and E.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A taxon is considered monophyletic if it includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants. In this figure, all depicted species share a common ancestor, therefore, if they make up a taxon, it would be monophyletic.

Answer: C
 In the figure, species C and B share a more recent common ancestor than any other species, meaning they are more closely related. Therefore, species C is more closely related to species B than D is to B.

- If the Figure Is an Accurate Depiction of Relatedness