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Multiple Choice
Which statement is best supported by the phylogenetic tree shown?
A
Species B is the most distantly related to both Species A and Species C.
B
Species A and Species B share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with Species C.
C
All three species diverged from a common ancestor at the same time.
D
Species A and Species C are more closely related to each other than to Species B.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Examine the phylogenetic tree carefully to identify the branching patterns and relationships between Species A, Species B, and Species C.
Understand that a phylogenetic tree represents evolutionary relationships, where nodes indicate common ancestors and the length of branches may represent evolutionary distance or time.
Determine which species share the most recent common ancestor by observing the nodes connecting them. Species that share a closer node are more closely related.
Compare the relationships between Species A, Species B, and Species C based on the tree structure. For example, if Species A and Species B share a node closer to the root than Species C, they are more closely related to each other than to Species C.
Conclude which statement is best supported by the phylogenetic tree based on the observed relationships, ensuring the reasoning aligns with the evolutionary connections depicted in the tree.