How do you know that the lion and tiger are more closely related than the lion and pintail duck? Use evidence from the table above to support the response.(2 points)

1 answer

To determine the relatedness between the lion, tiger, and pintail duck, we can look at genetic, taxonomic, and evolutionary relationships.

  1. Taxonomy: Both lions and tigers belong to the family Felidae, which means they share a more recent common ancestor compared to pintail ducks that are under the family Anatidae. This taxonomic classification shows that the lion and tiger are more closely related.

  2. Genetic Similarity: Typically, studies on genetic sequences reveal that species within the same family are more genetically similar than those from different families. If a genetic analysis were provided, it would likely show a higher percentage of similarity in DNA sequences of lions and tigers compared to those of lions and pintail ducks.

Together, these points illustrate that lions and tigers share a more recent evolutionary ancestor, and hence, they are more closely related than lions are to pintail ducks.