Consider the phylogeny (Fig. 34.15) below. Imagine that the trait "complex multicellular fruiting bodies" actually was present in the common ancestor indicated by the arrow. What would its presence in the common ancestor mean for the evolution of fruiting bodies in the group Dikarya?
A)The group Glomeromycetes lost complex multicellular fruiting bodies.
B)The group Dikarya has members that didn't evolve complex multicellular fruiting bodies.
C)The group Dikarya has members that lost the trait of complex multicellular fruiting bodies.
D)Because only one trait can evolve at a node, regular septa would have evolved at some other place on the phylogeny.

Question

Consider the phylogeny (Fig. 34.15) below. Imagine that the trait "complex multicellular fruiting bodies" actually was present in the common ancestor indicated by the arrow. What would its presence in the common ancestor mean for the evolution of fruiting bodies in the group Dikarya? 
A)The group Glomeromycetes lost complex multicellular fruiting bodies. 
B)The group Dikarya has members that didn't evolve complex multicellular fruiting bodies. 
C)The group Dikarya has members that lost the trait of complex multicellular fruiting bodies. 
D)Because only one trait can evolve at a node, regular septa would have evolved at some other place on the phylogeny.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If complex multicellular fruiting bodies were present in the common ancestor indicated by the arrow, but not in the Glomeromycetes, then the most likely scenario is that the trait was lost in this group. This means that the presence of complex multicellular fruiting bodies would have evolved independently in different lineages within the group Dikarya.

Consider the Phylogeny (Fig