Question

The diagram below shows the branching tree diagram for humans. The text box below it shows the set of derived shared characteristics for the branching tree.

A slanting, horizontal line is shown. On the extreme left, there is a label that says Common Ancestor. Along the slanting, horizontal line there are five dots labeled from left to right as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. There is one vertical line between each of the consecutive five dots. The lines are labeled from left to right as Perch, Frog, Pigeon, Rats, and Human. A text box below the branching tree diagram is labeled Derived Shared Characteristics. In the box it says from left to right, Terrestrial during all stages, Jaws, Walking on two legs, Mammary glands and hair, and Four limbs.

Look at the possible derived shared characteristics, shown in the text box. Think about where these should be placed along the branching tree diagram. From the text box, select a shared derived characteristic that humans and rats have. Explain why you think humans and rats share this characteristic.

Answer 1

I would write "terrestrial/lives on land during all life stages" between the frog and pigeon branches

Step-by-step explanation:

Jaw evolution has started with fish, so i'd place that before the perch, evolution of four limbs is next and I would plate it between the perch and the frog. Evolution of an egg has ensured that organisms remain terrestrial during all stages of life and don't need to rely on water to lay their eggs. So I would place that between the frog and the pigeon. True mammary glands and true hair, as we know it formed on mammals so i'd place that between the pigeon and the rats (although synapsids evolved similar structures long before birds even existed). And lastly, I would place "walking on two legs" between rats and human branches. Because our ancestors evolved bipedalism relatively late.