Question

The principal reason we consider tunicates similar to the ancestor of all chordates is that Select one: a. tunicates have a lophophore-style mouth. b. tunicate adults are very similar to the ancestors of cephalochordates and vertebrates. c. tunicate larvae are primitive in all of their features. d. tunicate larvae possess the synapomorphies of adult chordates and thus reveal close evolutionary relationships with chordates. e. the body plan of adult tunicates parallels that of chordates.

Answer 1

d. tunicate larvae possess the synapomorphies of adult chordates and thus reveal close evolutionary relationships with chordates.

Step-by-step explanation:

In evolutionary biology, a synapomorphy is a shared, derived character/trait which is present in an ancestor and its descendants. Synapomorphies are useful markers to establish phylogenetic relationships between sets of taxa. Tunicates (subphylum Tunicata) are sessile marine invertebrates that are considered chordates (phylum Chordata) because the larval stage has characters/traits that are similar to other chordates. Larval tunicates have a nerve cord, a notochord, tail and gill slits (conserved in adults).