Which statement about the following phylogeny is FALSE?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: The prompt asks which statement about the given phylogeny is FALSE, and provides one answer option labeled a: 'The closest relative to Species B is Species C.'

Option analysis in detail:
- Option a: 'The closest relative to Species B is Species C.' In this tree, Species B is shown as part of a clade that is sister to a larger clade containing C and D. This means B shares a most recent common ancestor with the group that includes C and D, not exclusively with C alone. Within that C–D subclade, C and D are sister to each other, forming two lineages that diverge at the same node. Therefore, B is equally related to C and to D; neither C nor D is uniquely closer to B than the other. If we interpret 'closest relative' as requiring a unique closest relative, then asserting that the closest relative is C is incorrect because D is equally close. Hence this statement is false under the common interpretation that the closest relative should be uniquely closest.

Why this option might be tempting: It directly names C as the closest relative, matching an intuitive but incomplete reading of the tree. In some simplified explanations, people might focus on one member of the nearby clade and overlook that the other member of the same close-knit group is equally close.

Why other possible interpretations could be incorrect or insufficient: If one were to claim that B’s closest relative is C without acknowledging D’s equal closeness, that would misstate the symmetrical relationship within the B–C–D portion of the tree. If the tree had shown B as directly sister to C (with no D in the immediate vicinity), then C could be the closest relative; however, the diagram indicates that B shares a lineage with a clade containing both C and D, not with C alone.

Summary: The statement is false because C is not uniquely the closest relative to B; C and D are equally close relatives to B within the provided phylogeny. The MEL (most recent common ancestor) of B with C and D is the same node, and within that node, C and D diverge from each other rather than one being closer to B than the other.

BIO3020 - Evolutionary Ecology - S1 2025

Which statement about the following phylogeny is FALSE?

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BIO3020 - Evolutionary Ecology - S1 2025

Which statement about the following phylogeny is FALSE?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Please use this image to answer the following questions. 1: The sister taxa to humans. ____ 2: The lizard is most closely related to ____. ____ 3: The outgroup ____

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Use the phylogenetic tree below to answer the following: True or False? Plants are more closely related to protists than they are to fungi.

Use a specific one-word answer to receive credit.Ideally, when making phylogenetic trees, the taxa in the tree should be ___ .Please double check your spelling to make sure the word is spelled correctly. Thank you!

Gorillas’ bodies have hair, and their closest living relatives also have hair on their bodies. What type of characteristic is this?

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There is more than one correct way to show relationships using a phylogenetic tree. Three of the four trees displayed below show the same relationship between species A, B, C, D, and E. Which tree shows a different relationship?Tree 1 Tree 2 Tree 3 Tree 4

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More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Making Your Study Simpler

Please use this image to answer the following questions. 1: The sister taxa to humans. 2: The lizard is most closely related to . 3: The outgroup