Question

The phylogeny chart shows the evolution of camels. Camelus is the modern-day camel. Based on this chart, which three statements are true? Modern camels are more related to Stenomylus than to Eschatius. Stenomylous and modern camels do not share a common ancestor. Modern camels are more related to Camelops than to Aepycamelus. Pliauchenia and Oxydactylus may share similar features. Procamelus and Stenomylous may share similar features.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation: Note: Yoy will find the chart in the attached file.

In phylogenetic trees, two species are more related if they have a recent common ancestor. On the other hand, two species will be less related if their common ancestor is not a recent one and is located far away in the tree.  

In the phylogenetic tree, the taxonomic groups of interest are located in the extremes of the lines called branches.

A) Modern camels are more related to Stenomylus than to Eschatius. FALSE. In the graph, you can see modern camel more related to Eschatius, with whom they share a most recent common ancestor (Pliauchenia).  Modern camels and Eschatius might share a common ancestor with Stenomylus, but it is located far away in the tree (Poebrotherium).

B) Stenomylous and modern camels do not share a common ancestor. FALSE. As we have already mentioned, these two species might share a common ancestor, but it was present much earlier in evolution. Here we refer to Poebrotherium, who diverged into Stenomylous and Protomeryx. The last one then evolved and went through many changes, making a place to Camelus, Eschatius, and Camelops.  

C) Modern camels are more related to Camelops than to Aepycamelus. TRUE. You can see in the chart that they both evolved from Pliauchenia, while Aepycamelus evolved from Oxydactylus. Modern camels and  Aepycamelus share a common ancestor, but far away in evolution.

D) Pliauchenia and Oxydactylus may share similar features. TRUE. These two taxonomic groups share a common ancestor named Protyloptus. This one was the original group in the tree, so the subsequent groups might have suffered many changes before they originated Pliauchenia and Oxydactylus. So these two groups might be very different from each other, but as they have a common ancestor, they might also share similar features

E) Procamelus and Stenomylous may share similar features. TRUE. In this case, it occurs the same thing as we described above. These two groups share a common ancestor named Poebrotherium that diverged to form  Stenomylous and Protomeryx. Then Procamelus evolved from Protomeryx. So this statement is also correct because both mentioned groups might share similar features as they both evolved from Poebrotherium.