Final answer:
Most reptiles, mammals, and birds were not affected by the terminal Cretaceous extinction. The dominant vertebrate group during the Mesozoic era, which included reptiles such as dinosaurs, became extinct, but birds, which are the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs, survived.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is D. all of the above.
Most reptiles, mammals, and birds were not affected by the terminal Cretaceous extinction.
The dominant vertebrate group during the Mesozoic era, which included reptiles such as dinosaurs, became extinct, but birds, which are the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs, survived.