Cladistics Fundamentals Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What defines a derived character in cladistics?

  • A character inherited from a MRCA, absent in an ancestor of that MRCA (correct)
  • A trait that has evolved multiple times in different lineages
  • A character present in all descendants of an ancestor
  • A character that exhibits variation among species

    • Which of the following best describes homoplasy?

  • Shared derived characteristics among taxa
  • Variations in traits across temporal scales
  • Similarities due to shared ancestry
  • Similar traits resulting from convergent evolution (correct)

    • What is the principle of parsimony in cladistics?

  • Choosing the most complex evolutionary explanation
  • Assuming all traits evolve independently
  • Emphasizing homoplastic characters in analysis
  • Preferring the explanation with the fewest transitions (correct)

    • Which type of group contains all species above a given node as well as their most recent common ancestor?

    <p>Monophyletic group</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a polytomy in a phylogenetic tree?

    <p>A node where three or more lineages diverge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of evolutionary relationship describes taxa that do not include all descendants of their most recent common ancestor?

    <p>Paraphyletic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term refers to characteristics that are found in only a single species?

    <p>Autapomorphy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What best defines a crown group in cladistics?

    <p>Descendants from the most recent common ancestor of all living species</p> Signup and view all the answers

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