In the figure, which two main clades branch from the most recent common ancestor of the eumetazoans?
A) Porifera and Cnidaria
B) Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa
C) Cnidaria and Bilateria
D) Deuterostomia and Bilateria

Question

In the figure, which two main clades branch from the most recent common ancestor of the eumetazoans?
A) Porifera and Cnidaria 
B) Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa 
C) Cnidaria and Bilateria 
D) Deuterostomia and Bilateria

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most recent common ancestor of the eumetazoans gave rise to two main clades: Cnidaria and Bilateria. Porifera is a separate phylum that diverged from the eumetazoan lineage before the most recent common ancestor, and Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa are two major clades within the Bilateria. Deuterostomia is another major clade within the eumetazoans, but it diverged from the lineage leading to Bilateria before the most recent common ancestor of the eumetazoans.

In the Figure, Which Two Main Clades Branch from the Most