[Campbell Biology P.609] Based on the information provided, which of the following best exem... | Practice Question

Based on the information provided, which of the following best exemplifies a shared derived character?

  • A: The presence of a backbone in all mammals, as it predates the branching of mammals from other vertebrates.
  • B: The presence of hair in all mammals, because it is an evolutionary novelty unique to the mammalian clade and not found in their ancestors.
  • C: The shared ability to photosynthesize among plants and some bacteria due to convergent evolution.
  • D: The five-fingered limb structure found in humans, cats, whales, and bats, indicating a common ancestor.

Explanation

A shared derived character is an evolutionary novelty unique to a clade and not found in its ancestors. The text explicitly uses 'hair' in mammals as an example of a shared derived character, distinguishing it from 'backbone' which is a shared ancestral character for mammals as it predates their branching from other vertebrates .