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Multiple Choice
Which of the following phylogenetic trees represent the same evolutionary relationships among species?
A
Tree A and Tree D
B
Tree B and Tree C
C
Tree A and Tree C
D
Tree A and Tree B
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that a phylogenetic tree is a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms. Each branch point, or node, represents a common ancestor shared by the species that branch from it.
Examine the structure of each tree. Look at the branching patterns and the order of species. The key is to identify whether the trees have the same topology, meaning the same branching order and relationships.
Identify the root of each tree, which is the most ancestral branch point. Ensure that the trees being compared have the same root species if they are to represent the same evolutionary relationships.
Compare the branching order of the species in each tree. For two trees to represent the same relationships, the sequence of branching should be identical, even if the trees are rotated or flipped.
Check for any polytomies, which are nodes with more than two branches. These can indicate uncertainty in the evolutionary relationships and should be consistent across trees if they are to be considered equivalent.