Which of the following could be considered the most recent common ancestor of living tetrapods?
A) a sturdy-finned, shallow-water lobe-fin whose appendages had skeletal supports similar to those of terrestrial vertebrates
B) an armored, jawed placoderm with two pairs of appendages
C) an early ray-finned fish that developed bony skeletal supports in its paired fins
D) a salamander that had legs supported by a bony skeleton but moved with the side-to-side bending typical of fishes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most recent common ancestor of living tetrapods is best described as a sturdy-finned, shallow-water lobe-fin whose appendages had skeletal supports similar to those of terrestrial vertebrates. This description aligns with the evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial life, where the development of limbs capable of supporting weight on land was a critical adaptation.

Which of the Following Could Be Considered the Most Recent