A requirement of cladistics is that a grouping must include ________.
A)species that can interbreed
B)only living species
C)species with shared traits
D)a common ancestor and all its descendants

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cladistics is based on the principle of common ancestry, meaning that a grouping should include all the descendants of a single common ancestor. This is known as a clade. Therefore, option D (a common ancestor and all its descendants) is the correct answer. Options A (species that can interbreed) and B (only living species) are not necessarily relevant to cladistics, and option C (species with shared traits) is not sufficient because those traits may have evolved independently in different lineages.

A Requirement of Cladistics Is That a Grouping Must Include