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Multiple Choice
Reptiles and birds have a common ancestor and are therefore placed in the same clade. What is the name of this clade?
A
Chordata
B
Amniota
C
Sauropsida
D
Mammalia
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of a clade. A clade is a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants. It is a fundamental concept in phylogenetics and evolutionary biology.
Step 2: Recognize that reptiles and birds share a common ancestor. This means they are part of the same evolutionary lineage and belong to the same clade.
Step 3: Review the clades provided in the options: Chordata, Amniota, Sauropsida, and Mammalia. Chordata is a broader clade that includes all vertebrates, while Mammalia refers specifically to mammals. Amniota includes reptiles, birds, and mammals, but it is not specific to reptiles and birds alone.
Step 4: Focus on Sauropsida. This clade specifically includes reptiles and birds, as it represents the evolutionary lineage that diverged from the common ancestor of amniotes, excluding mammals.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct clade for reptiles and birds, based on their shared evolutionary history, is Sauropsida.