Which of the Following Could Be Considered the Most Recent

question 10

Multiple Choice

Which of the following could be considered the most recent common ancestor of living tetrapods?

• A) a sturdy-finned, shallow-water lobe-fin whose appendages had skeletal supports similar to those of terrestrial vertebrates
• B) an armored, jawed placoderm with two pairs of appendages
• C) an early ray-finned fish that developed bony skeletal supports in its paired fins
• D) a salamander that had legs supported by a bony skeleton but moved with the side-to-side bending typical of fishes

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Definitions:

Defensive Attribution

A cognitive bias where an individual attributes causes of accidents or misfortunes to external factors to avoid personal blame or fear of future negative events.

Bad Mouth

To speak negatively about someone or something, often in a disrespectful or slanderous manner.

Cognitive Dissonance

A psychological state of tension that occurs when an individual holds two conflicting thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or perceptions simultaneously.

Imbalance

A state of lack of equilibrium or proportion, in physical contexts, emotional states, or relationships.