A taxon that includes a common ancestor, all descendants of that ancestor, and no other organisms is considered to be
A) paraphyletic.
B) polyphyletic.
C) synapomorphous.
D) monogamous.
E) monophyletic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A taxon that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants is called a monophyletic group or clade. This means that all of the members of the group share a single evolutionary lineage traced back to a common ancestor, making it a natural group. A paraphyletic group excludes some descendants of the common ancestor, while a polyphyletic group includes organisms that do not share a recent common ancestor. Synapomorphous refers to shared derived traits among members of a clade, while monogamous refers to a type of mating behavior.

A Taxon That Includes a Common Ancestor, All Descendants of That