a. The statement that marsupials will share more DNA similarities with turtles than lampreys because they both live on land is inaccurate.
b. Cartilaginous fish share more DNA similarities with lobe-finned fishes than ray-finned fishes because they diverged from the lobe-finned fishes.
c. Snakes share fewer DNA similarities with marsupials than birds since they both cannot fly.
d. The statement that all species from hagfishes to placentals have similar DNA because they are all chordates is accurate.
a. The provided phylogenetic tree offers insights into the evolutionary relationships among various species, guiding the assessment of DNA similarities. The least accurate statement pertains to the suggestion that marsupials would share more DNA similarities with turtles than lampreys due to their shared terrestrial habitat. In evolutionary terms, habitat alone does not necessarily determine genetic relatedness.
b. Contrarily, the assertion that cartilaginous fish share fewer DNA similarities with lobe-finned fishes than ray-finned fishes due to their divergence aligns with the principles of evolutionary biology. Divergence from a common ancestor can result in distinct genetic profiles.
c. The statement indicating that snakes share more DNA similarities with marsupials than birds because they both cannot fly is inaccurate. Flightlessness is not a reliable indicator of genetic similarity, as evolutionary pathways are shaped by a multitude of factors.
d. Finally, the claim that all species from hagfishes to placentals have similar DNA because they are all chordates is accurate. Chordates share a common evolutionary ancestor, and this characteristic defines their fundamental genetic similarities.