Lancelet (outgroup)

Salamander

Leopard

Dolphin

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7

A)

Turtle

Tuna

Lamprey

Character

(1) Backbone

(2) Hinged jaw

(3) Four limbs

(4) Amnion

(5) Milk

(6) Dorsal fin

*Although adult dolphins have only two obvious limbs (their flip have two hind-limb buds, for a total of four limbs. lippers), as embryos they

If you were to create a phylogenetic tree of these organisms, which would branch off first and why?

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Use the image to answer the question.

The lancelet would branch off first because it is the outgroup, meaning it is the most distantly related organism to the rest of the group. This is based on the assumption that the lancelet shares the least number of characteristics with the other organisms in the group.