Since all organisms share a common ancestor, it comes as no surprise that some characteristics are shared while others are not. If we consider the backbone and feathers, respectively, of birds, we can say that the former is a ________ while the latter are a ________.
A)monophyletic characteristic, paraphyletic characteristic
B)monophyletic characteristic, polyphyletic characteristic
C)shared derived character, shared ancestral character
D)shared ancestral character, shared derived character
E)ingroup, outgroup

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The backbone is a shared ancestral character because it is a trait shared by birds and their ancestors, while feathers are a shared derived character specific to birds and not present in their distant ancestors.

Since All Organisms Share a Common Ancestor, It Comes as No