[Campbell Biology P.606] According to the text, why might crocodiles, which are more closely... | Practice Question

According to the text, why might crocodiles, which are more closely related to birds than to lizards, still look more like lizards?

  • A: The phylogenetic tree incorrectly groups crocodiles with lizards.
  • B: Crocodiles and lizards share a more recent common ancestor.
  • C: Morphology has changed dramatically in the bird lineage, making birds appear less like their close crocodile relatives.
  • D: Crocodiles evolved from lizards, inheriting their morphological traits.

Explanation

The text explains that even though crocodiles are more closely related to birds than to lizards, they look more like lizards because 'morphology has changed dramatically in the bird lineage'. This illustrates that phylogenetic trees show patterns of descent, not phenotypic similarity.