Analisa and Mateo,two Research Anthropologists Interested in Deciphering the Relatedness

Multiple Choice

Analisa and Mateo,two research anthropologists interested in deciphering the relatedness between four extinct primates,were studying the similarities and differences among a number of measurements of the complex structures of the jaw fragments they collected,as well as making many other morphological contrasts between other fossilized bones from dozens of collected specimens.In the lab,they noticed the lengths of the bones of the leg,particularly the femur,tibia,and fibula,were very different in all the specimens,whereas the jaw structures were nearly identical among the specimens.What should they tentatively conclude based on this evidence?

A) The four primates likely share a close common ancestor or could potentially be the same species based upon the jaw measurements.
B) The hominids with the most closely matching leg bone measurements are likely more closely related than the others,due to the importance of locomotion as an evolutionary adaptation.
C) The femur measurements are not important.
D) Because the measurements of the leg bones vary widely,it is probable that the four species are from different genera.