Multiple Choice
Which of the following must be true for natural selection to occur in a population?
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1. Introduction to Biology
Natural Selection and Evolution
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Birds are most closely related to which of the following groups of animals?
A
Fish
B
Amphibians
C
Reptiles
D
Mammals
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the evolutionary relationships between birds and other groups of animals. Birds are part of the class Aves, which evolved from theropod dinosaurs, a subgroup of reptiles.
Step 2: Recall that reptiles include animals such as lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodilians. Birds share a common ancestor with reptiles, specifically with a group of dinosaurs that are classified as reptiles.
Step 3: Compare the other groups listed in the problem. Fish, amphibians, and mammals are distinct evolutionary groups that diverged earlier in the evolutionary timeline and do not share as close a relationship with birds as reptiles do.
Step 4: Note that birds and reptiles share several anatomical and physiological traits, such as scales (on bird legs and reptile bodies), egg-laying, and similar skeletal structures, which further support their close evolutionary relationship.
Step 5: Conclude that birds are most closely related to reptiles based on their shared evolutionary lineage and common characteristics.
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