Phylogeny

AP Biology· difficulty 1/5

A cladogram of vertebrate taxa marks the appearance of derived characters at internal nodes.

Lamprey Shark Salmon Lizard Hawk jaws bony skel. tetrapod amniote

Which character is shared by the largest number of taxa shown?

  • A

    Bony skeleton

  • B

    Jaws

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  • C

    Tetrapod limbs

  • D

    Amniotic egg

Explanation

The character "jaws" is placed at the most basal node after lamprey, so it is shared by sharks, salmon, lizards, and hawks (4 taxa) - more than any other derived character on the tree.

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