A Preexisting,ancestral Character is Also Known as A(n)________

Question

A preexisting,ancestral character is also known as a(n)________.
A) apomorphy
B) plesiomorphy
C) synapomorphy
D) clade

Accepted Answer

A preexisting, ancestral character is known as a plesiomorphy in evolutionary biology. Plesiomorphies are traits that have been inherited from a common ancestor and therefore are not unique to a particular group or clade. Apomorphies are derived traits that have evolved within a particular group and are unique to it, while synapomorphies are shared derived traits that define a monophyletic group (clade). Clade refers to a group of organisms that share a common ancestor and all of its descendants.