Choose the true statements about the evolution of complex characters,such as powered flight.
A)Phylogenetic analysis using cladistics can help reveal the sequence leading to the evolution of a complex character.
B)Usually a single mutation in one gene leads to the simultaneous appearance of the complex character.
C)Often the initial stage in the evolution of a complex character was an adaptation to some unrelated selection pressure.
D)The intermediate stages in the evolution of a complex character had no fitness advantage.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A is true because using cladistics allows researchers to construct a phylogenetic tree and determine the order of appearance of characters, including complex ones such as powered flight.

C is also true because complex characters often have evolutionary origins in traits that were initially adaptations to other selection pressures. For example, the development of feathers in birds likely started as a means of insulation or display before eventually being adapted for powered flight.

Choose the True Statements About the Evolution of Complex Characters,such