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Multiple Choice
Which of the following groups is most closely related to mammals?
A
Reptiles
B
Amphibians
C
Birds
D
Marsupials
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the classification of mammals: Mammals are a class of animals within the phylum Chordata, characterized by the presence of mammary glands, hair, and three middle ear bones.
Identify the evolutionary relationships: Mammals are part of the clade Synapsida, which diverged from the common ancestor of reptiles and birds, known as the clade Sauropsida.
Recognize the distinction between different groups: Marsupials are a subgroup of mammals, specifically within the infraclass Metatheria, which makes them more closely related to other mammals than to reptiles, amphibians, or birds.
Consider the evolutionary tree: In an evolutionary tree, marsupials and placental mammals (Eutheria) share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with reptiles, amphibians, or birds.
Conclude based on evolutionary lineage: Since marsupials are a type of mammal, they are more closely related to other mammals than to reptiles, amphibians, or birds, which belong to different evolutionary lineages.