Members of the plant family Cactaceae (cacti)are native to the Americas and thrive in dry environments.They have a number of specialized adaptations,including reduced leaves,succulent (fleshy)stems for water storage,and spines for defense against herbivores.Some members of the family Euphorbiaceae are native to Africa and resemble cacti,having similarly reduced leaves,succulent stems,and thorns.However,their common ancestor likely did not have these traits.Based on this information,what can you say about the morphological traits of Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae indicated above?
A)They are shared primitive traits.
B)They are shared derived traits.
C)They are homologous traits.
D)They are analogous traits.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The traits of reduced leaves, succulent stems, and spines/thorns are not shared primitive traits because their common ancestor likely did not possess these specific traits. They are also not homologous traits because they evolved independently in each family due to similar environmental pressures. Therefore, they are analogous traits, meaning they evolved independently but share a similar function.

Members of the Plant Family Cactaceae (Cacti)are Native to the Americas