The Difference(s)between the Traditional and Cladistic Classification of Chordates and Their

question 14

Multiple Choice

The difference(s) between the traditional and cladistic classification of chordates and their extant sister groups is a difference in

• A)the addition of new and comparative rRNA and DNA molecular sequence data.
• B)fossil evidence that clearly shows that the traditional classification is simply wrong.
• C)the insistence in traditional systematics that all taxa be paraphyletic.
• D)the insistence in cladistics that all taxa be monophyletic.
• E)all of the choices are points of argument.

---

Definitions:

Subducting Lithosphere

The portion of the lithosphere that is being forced down into the mantle at a subduction zone.

Ridge Push

A tectonic process associated with the movement of the Earth's lithosphere, where an elevated ridge pushes an adjacent plate away due to gravitational forces.

Topographically High Ridge

An elongated area of high ground, usually sharper than a hill, often formed by tectonic processes or erosion.

Earth's Magnetic Field

The geomagnetic field that extends from the Earth's interior into space, where it meets the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the sun.