There is more than one correct way to show relationships using a phylogenetic tree. Three of the four trees displayed below show the same relationship between species A, B, and C. Which tree shows a different relationship?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks us to compare four phylogenetic trees and identify which one shows a different relationship among species A, B, and C.

Option a: Tree 1. If Tree 1 is stated to share the same relationships as the others that are correct, it would not be the outlier. Since three of the four trees show the same relationship, Tree 1 would be consistent with that common topology and is not the different one.

Option b: All of the trees show the same relationships. This would mean there is no outlier topology among the trees, which contradicts the prompt that three trees are the same and one is different. Therefore this option is incorrect.

Option c: Tree 2. This is the candidate for the different relationship. In a set where three trees share the same A–C–B relationships, the tree that places A, B, and C in a distinct branching order or changes which pair shares the most recent common ancestor constitutes a different relationship. Tree 2 is the one that breaks the common topology, indicating a different pattern of relatedness among A, B, and C.

Option d: Tree 3. If Tree 3 is among the three that share the same relationships as the majority, it would be considered not the outlier. Since we’re told three trees match, Tree 3 would be part of that match, not the different one.

Option e: Tree 4. Similarly, if Tree 4 belongs to the set of trees that show the same relationships as the majority, it is not the outlier. It would be incorrect to call Tree 4 the one with a different relationship.

In summary, the key idea is that most trees agree on the same pattern of relatedness among A, B, and C, and the one that does not share that pattern (Tree 2) demonstrates a different relationship topology. The fact that three trees converge on the same topology makes the single divergent tree the correct choice for displaying a different relationship.

There is more than one correct way to show relationships using a phylogenetic tree. Three of the four trees displayed below show the same relationship between species A, B, and C. Which tree shows a different relationship?Single choice

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