-What would the backbone character (A) be called in the phylogenic study of the accompanying figure?
A)a sister group
B)a monophyletic definer
C)a key innovation
D)a common character
E)a derived trait

Question

-What would the backbone character (A) be called in the phylogenic study of the accompanying figure?
A)a sister group 
B)a monophyletic definer 
C)a key innovation 
D)a common character 
E)a derived trait

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A derived trait is a character that is present in a group of organisms but not in their ancestors. In the figure, the backbone character (A) is present in all of the organisms in the group, but not in their ancestors. Therefore, the backbone character (A) is a derived trait.

-What Would the Backbone Character (A) Be Called in the Phylogenic