An avid naturalist diver has decided to vacation on a remote island, possibly never visited by a human before, with a rocky intertidal zone. While out exploring he comes across what looks like a jellyfish but has bilateral symmetry. He considers what he knows of the simple phylogeny of animals. He would like to place this species into the group Bilateria. Name one other characteristic that would lend support to his placing this organism in the group Bilateria.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of three different tissue layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) is a key characteristic of animals in the group Bilateria. This would provide strong support for the diver's decision to place this organism in this group, alongside the presence of bilateral symmetry. The other choices (A, B, and C) are present in many other animal groups, and alone would not be enough to definitively place an organism in the Bilateria.

An Avid Naturalist Diver Has Decided to Vacation on a Remote