The questions below refer to the following evolutionary tree, in which the horizontal axis represents time (present time is on the far right) and the vertical axis represents morphological change.

-Logically, which of these should cast the most doubt on the relationships depicted by an evolutionary tree?
A) Some of the organisms depicted by the tree lived in different habitats.
B) The skeletal remains of the organisms depicted by the tree were incomplete (in other words, some bones were missing).
C) Transitional fossils had not been found.
D) Relationships between DNA sequences among the species did not match relationships between skeletal patterns.

Question

The questions below refer to the following evolutionary tree, in which the horizontal axis represents time (present time is on the far right) and the vertical axis represents morphological change.
 
-Logically, which of these should cast the most doubt on the relationships depicted by an evolutionary tree?
A) Some of the organisms depicted by the tree lived in different habitats. 
B) The skeletal remains of the organisms depicted by the tree were incomplete (in other words, some bones were missing). 
C) Transitional fossils had not been found. 
D) Relationships between DNA sequences among the species did not match relationships between skeletal patterns.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DNA sequences are considered more reliable and conserved than morphological traits, therefore if the relationships between the DNA sequences do not match the relationships depicted by the morphological traits, it can cast doubt on the accuracy of the evolutionary tree.

The Questions Below Refer to the Following Evolutionary Tree, in Which