[Campbell Biology P.609] Which of the following statements correctly describes the phylogene... | Practice Question
Which of the following statements correctly describes the phylogenetic groups shown in Figure 26.10?
A: Group I is paraphyletic because it includes an ancestral species and some, but not all, of its descendants.
B: Group II is monophyletic because it consists of an ancestral species and all of its descendants.
C: Group III is polyphyletic, and its most recent common ancestor is not included in the group.
D: In a paraphyletic group, the most recent common ancestor is always excluded from the group.
Explanation
According to the text and Figure 26.10c, a polyphyletic group like Group III includes distantly related species but does not include their most recent common ancestor. Option C accurately reflects this definition.