A new animal was discovered in a remote area of Southeast Asia. The animal seemed to resemble a crocodile. Biologists have several ways that they can classify the mystery animal and determine its evolutionary history. One way involves identifying important characteristics of the animal and forming a hypothesis about the order in which it evolved from a common ancestor. The first step in this process is to analyze the characteristics in a data table. The cladogram below, based on the data in the table, could show the evolutionary relationships of these animals. Where would a biologist place the mystery animal on the cladogram? (SC.912.L.15.1)
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1 point
A. before the fish
B. between the fish and the deer
C. between the deer and the human
D. after the human