Sea squirts and lampreys, which are closely related aquatic animals, have a perforated pharynx, a ventral heart, and a notochord at some stage of development. These similarities are best explained by
A) the ʺLadder of Nature.ʺ
B) uniformitarianism.
C) artificial selection.
D) a common ancestry.
E) inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

These similarities among sea squirts, lampreys, and other chordates are best explained by a common ancestry, indicating that they share a common evolutionary origin. This is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, where shared characteristics among species are used to infer phylogenetic relationships.

Sea Squirts and Lampreys, Which Are Closely Related Aquatic Animals