Question

Which of the following statements accurately represents the relationship between lobe-finned fishes, ray-finned fishes, and tetrapods in the context of vertebrate evolution?

A. Lobe-finned fishes are a subgroup within ray-finned fishes, and tetrapods are a separate, unrelated group.
B. Tetrapods are a subgroup within lobe-finned fishes, and lobe-finned fishes are a sister group to ray-finned fishes.
C. Ray-finned fishes are a transitional group between lobe-finned fishes and tetrapods.
D. Tetrapods evolved directly from ray-finned fishes, bypassing lobe-finned fishes in the evolutionary lineage.

Answer 1

Tetrapods are a subgroup within lobe-finned fishes, and lobe-finned fishes are a sister group to ray-finned fishes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct relationship between lobe-finned fishes, ray-finned fishes, and tetrapods in the context of vertebrate evolution is:

B. Tetrapods are a subgroup within lobe-finned fishes, and lobe-finned fishes are a sister group to ray-finned fishes.

Lobe-finned fishes evolved into tetrapods, which include amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Ray-finned fishes, on the other hand, make up the dominant class of fishes and are characterized by fins supported by bony spines called rays. So, tetrapods are derived from lobe-finned fishes, and lobe-finned fishes are closely related to ray-finned fishes.