Passage I

Table 1 indicates the presence or absence of 6 traits in 7 dinosaur genera (genera is the plural of genus).

Figure 1 is a cladogram (a diagram showing evolutionary relationships) for these dinosaur genera based on the 6 traits in Table 1. Figure 1 also includes 6 dinosaurs (A-F) at 6 nodes (branch points).The dinosaur at each node represents the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of the dinosaur genera extending upward from that node. Each MRCA had all traits that were shared by all of the genera extending upward from it.

Table 1 and Figure 1 adapted from Neil A. Campbell, Biology, 4th ed. @1996 by The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, lnc.

Table 2 indicates when each of the 7 dinosaur genera in Table 1 existed.

3. Based on the information presented, which of the following traits was common to Dinosaur D, Dinosaur E, and Dinosaur F?

Answer and Explanation

Your Answer is

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

As can be seen from Figure 1, Dinosaurs D, E, and F include Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pachycephalosaurus, and Triceratops. Looking at Table 1, it can be found that the commonality of these four dinosaurs is Hole in hip socket +, Posterier projection of the pubis bone +, so these four dinosaurs all have these two characteristics. Option A is reasonable.