Use the scenario to answer the question.

A fossil indicates that whales might have started out as small land mammals. This animal was about the size of a wolf and had a diet of meat and fish. While the fossil has the body of a land animal, its head is shaped like a whale with an ear bone that is unique to whales.

Which statement is likely true about the fossil?

(1 point)
Responses

It is a transitional fossil that shows correlation.
It is a transitional fossil that shows correlation.

It is a transitional fossil that shows causation.
It is a transitional fossil that shows causation.

It is not a transitional fossil, but it shows causation.
It is not a transitional fossil, but it shows causation.

It is not a transitional fossil, but it shows correlation.

1 answer

The most accurate statement about the fossil, based on the information provided, is:

It is a transitional fossil that shows correlation.

Transitional fossils provide evidence of evolutionary change over time, indicating the transition from one form to another. In this case, the fossil exhibits characteristics of both land mammals and whales, supporting the idea of evolutionary correlation between these groups.