The Statement That Amphibians Evolved from Fishes is Inconsistent with Cladistic

Question

The statement that amphibians evolved from fishes is inconsistent with cladistic taxonomy.

Accepted Answer

Cladistic taxonomy groups organisms based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships. The statement that amphibians evolved from fishes implies a linear, ladder-like progression of evolution, which is not consistent with cladistic thinking. Instead, modern cladistic analysis suggests that both amphibians and fishes share a common ancestor, and that the two groups have evolved along separate, parallel pathways.