If you were using cladistics to build a phylogenetic tree of cats,which of the following would be the best outgroup?
A)wolf
B)domestic cat
C)frog
D)leopard

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An outgroup in cladistics is a species or group of species that is closely related to but not part of the group of interest (in this case, cats). The wolf (A) is a good outgroup because it is a member of the Carnivora order, like cats, but belongs to a different family (Canidae), making it closely related but not part of the cat family (Felidae). This helps in rooting the phylogenetic tree and providing a point of comparison for determining the ancestral and derived traits within the group of interest.

If You Were Using Cladistics to Build a Phylogenetic Tree