Question

Use the phylogenetic tree to the right to choose the true statement below.

Crocodiles are more closely related to amphibians than to primates.

Ray-finned fish evolved before sharks.

Rodents and rabbits are most closely related to primates.

Amphibians are more closely related to ray-finned fish than to primates.
A phylogenetic tree is shown. Rodents and rabbits branch off of primates.

Answer 1

"Rodents and rabbits are most closely related to primates."

Reason: On the tree rodents and rabbits branch from the same lineage as primates, so their most recent common ancestor is more recent than the common ancestor they share with crocodiles, amphibians, or fishes. In phylogenetic trees, taxa that share a more recent node are more closely related.