[Campbell Biology P.774] Which of the following statements about the early jawless armored v... | Practice Question

Which of the following statements about the early jawless armored vertebrates such as Pteraspis and Pharyngolepis is NOT supported by the provided text?

  • A: They possessed paired fins and an inner ear with two semicircular canals.
  • B: They were armored with mineralized bone, which offered protection from predators.
  • C: They became extinct by the end of the Devonian period.
  • D: They possessed a bony internal skeleton from the earliest stages of their evolution.

Explanation

The text explicitly states that 'a bony internal skeleton was a relatively late development in the history of vertebrates. Instead, the vertebrate skeleton evolved initially as a structure made of unmineralized cartilage.' This directly contradicts option D.