Question

A biologist analyzes the DNA sequences in three different primates. The biologist finds that primates A and B have nearly identical DNA sequences. The DNA sequences in primate C are significantly different from those of primate A. From this information, the biologist may infer that

A. primates A and B are more closely related to each other than either is to primate C.
B. all three primates appeared on Earth at about the same time.
C. either primate A or primate B must be a direct ancestor of primate C.
D. primate C must have been the ancestor of both primate A and primate B.

Answer 1

The biologist can infer that primates A and B are more closely related to each other than to primate C, due to their nearly identical DNA sequences, which is a strong indicator of a recent common ancestor.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the analysis of DNA sequences in three different primates, where primates A and B have nearly identical DNA sequences and primate C has sequences significantly different from those of primate A, the biologist may infer that primates A and B are more closely related to each other than either is to primate C. This is because comparing DNA sequences is a method that can reveal evolutionary relationships, indicating common ancestry and the degree of relatedness among species. The more similar the DNA sequences are between two organisms, the more recent their common ancestor. The similarity in DNA sequences is the strongest evidence for evolution from a common ancestor. For example, humans and apes have a very high percentage of genetic similarities, indicating a recent common ancestor. Darwin could only compare anatomy and embryology, but modern science allows for genetic comparison, giving a clearer picture of evolutionary pathways.