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lesson pretestMultiple Choice

Pretest

Question 1 • CMS 2026-2027 Biology CREDIT RECOVERY

Which best describes derived characteristics?

Answer
A
They appear at the end of each branch.
B
They stem from primary characteristics.
C
They appear in all the ancestors.
D
They are newly evolved traits.

Explanation

A derived characteristic is a trait that evolved more recently in a group compared with the traits of its ancestors. It helps distinguish that group from earlier ancestors, so “They are newly evolved traits” is the best description. It does not necessarily appear at the end of every branch or in all ancestors.

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