Researchers often compare the bone structure of modern species with those in the fossil record. The species shown above (Ambulocetus) lived approximately 49 million years ago and is related to the modern whale. Which of the following is a logical conclusion about the relationship between Ambulocetus and the modern whale?

Question

Ambulocetus provides evidence that the modern whale could navigate on land because whales breathe oxygen like other mammals.
Modern whales evolved from a common ancestor that had the ability to move both on land and in the water.
Early fossil evidence, including that of Ambulocetus, suggests the modern whale’s tail was a result of a dramatic mutation, rather than environmental changes.
Ambulocetus and other early ancestors of the modern whale suggests environmental changes forced the species onto land, which led to mutated changes in their appearance; however, these early ancestors eventually returned to the oceans and evolved into modern whales.

Answer 1

The most logical conclusion about the relationship between Ambulocetus and the modern whale is:

Modern whales evolved from a common ancestor that had the ability to move both on land and in the water.

This statement aligns with the understanding of evolutionary biology, demonstrating that modern whales share a lineage with ancient species that were adapted to both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Fossils like Ambulocetus provide evidence of transitional forms that illustrate how these ancestors may have navigated both habitats, leading to the evolutionary changes that resulted in modern whales.