Alligators more closely resemble lizards than birds; however, alligators and birds have four-chambered hearts, which lizards do not have. In this example, the four-chambered heart is a ____, which indicates that alligators are ____ related to birds than to lizards.
A) derived character; more closely
B) key innovation; more closely
C) derived character; more distantly
D) key innovation; not
E) homologous structure; more distantly

Question

​Alligators more closely resemble lizards than birds; however, alligators and birds have four-chambered hearts, which lizards do not have. In this example, the four-chambered heart is a ____, which indicates that alligators are ____ related to birds than to lizards.
A) ​derived character; more closely
B) ​key innovation; more closely
C) ​derived character; more distantly
D) ​key innovation; not
E) ​homologous structure; more distantly

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The four-chambered heart is a derived character, meaning it is a trait that appeared in the most recent common ancestor of a particular lineage and was passed on to its descendants. This shared derived character between alligators and birds indicates that they are more closely related to each other than either is to lizards, which do not have this trait.

​Alligators More Closely Resemble Lizards Than Birds; However, Alligators and Birds

Alligators More Closely Resemble Lizards Than Birds; However, Alligators and Birds