Question

A group of lineages—such as viral strains—that all descend from a common ancestor makes up a ________?

1) Species
2) Genus
3) Family
4) Order

Answer 1

A group of lineages that descends from a common ancestor is known as a monophyletic group or clade, important in understanding phylogenetic trees.

Step-by-step explanation:

A group of lineages—such as viral strains—that all descend from a common ancestor makes up a monophyletic group, also known as a clade. This classification is part of the Linnaean taxonomy, which organizes life forms into a hierarchical structure consisting of several levels: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. The concept of a monophyletic group is crucial in understanding the phylogenetic tree, which depicts evolutionary relationships. In such a tree, organisms that share a more recent common ancestor, like Species 1 and 2, are more closely related than either is to Species 3.