Question

In mammals, the presence of four limbs is ________, and hair is ________.

A. a shared derived character; a shared ancestral character that places mammals in the tetrapod clade
B. monophyletic; parsimonious
C. a homologous feature; an analogous feature
D. a shared ancestral character; a shared derived character unique to mammals

Answer 1

Hair in mammals is a shared derived character, while having four limbs is D. a shared ancestral character unique to mammals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hair in mammals is a shared derived character, which means it is a characteristic that evolved within the mammal clade.

This trait is unique to mammals and helps distinguish them from other animals.

On the other hand, having four limbs is a shared ancestral character, which means it is a trait that was inherited from a common ancestor and is also found in other groups of animals, such as reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

So, the correct answer is D. a shared ancestral character; a shared derived character unique to mammals.