18
QuizMultiple Choice

Biological Evidence and the Fossil Record — Test

Question 18 • TPS EdX Biology

Mr. Morales is teaching a lesson on classification. He says that spiders are classified as a different group than insects because they have eight legs instead of six legs. He explains that spiders evolved first. Mr. Morales also says that having eight legs is the derived trait that separates the two groups. Antonio thinks Mr. Morales is wrong. Which piece of information is Antonio considering?

Answer
A
Spiders do not have eight legs.
B
If spiders evolved first, six legs is the derived trait.
C
Spiders do not have derived traits, since they evolved first.
D
Insects do not have six legs.

Explanation

If spiders evolved before insects, their eight legs would be the earlier, ancestral condition in this comparison. The later group, insects, would have the derived trait: six legs. So Antonio is considering that six legs—not eight—is the derived trait separating the groups. Choice D states this idea.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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