Question

Early scientists used morphological characteristics to create a phylogeny of animals, but recently, DNA sequence data have helped in the revision of phylogenies of taxa within the larger groups (i.e., bilaterians, sponges, cnidarians). Why are morphological characteristics like “fate of the blastopore” or “body symmetry” relatively good at predicting larger-scale branching patterns on phylogenies?

Answer 1

Answer: the development of these features is controlled genetically, therefore similarities in DNA sequence would be expected in more closely related data.

Step-by-step explanation:

Phylogenies or Phylogenesis is the evolution of a genetically related group of organisms as being different from the development of the individual organism.