Contrast the following terms: monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic. Provide one example for

each. What will be an ideal response?


A monophyletic group includes an ancestral species and all its descendants. It is defined by shared
derived characteristics. For example, all mammals are believed to be descended from a common
ancestor that had mammary glands, three small bones in middle ear, and a muscular diaphragm.
A paraphyletic group contains a common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendents. The class
Reptilia is paraphyletic because it does not include all descendants of the most recent common
ancestor.
A polyphyletic group consists of several evolutionary lines that do not share a most recent common
ancestor. The domain Bacteria and the Domain Eukarya constitute a polyphyletic group because they
do not share the most recent common ancestor.

Biology & Microbiology

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Which of the following types of molecules are most important for a cell to protect from damage if the

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Which of the following DNA sequences is complementary to 5' ATGGTCAGT 3'?

A. 5' TACCAGTCA 3' B. 5' TGACTGGTA 3' C. 5' ATGGTCAGT 3' D. 5' ACTGACCAT 3'

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List the structures of the female reproductive system and indicate their function.

What will be an ideal response?

Biology & Microbiology