Traditionally, Zoologists Have Placed Birds in Their Own Class, Aves

question 39

Multiple Choice

Traditionally, zoologists have placed birds in their own class, Aves. More recently, molecular evidence has shown that birds are more closely related to reptiles than their anatomy reveals. Genetically, birds are more closely related to crocodiles than crocodiles are to turtles. Thus, bird anatomy has become highly modified as they have adapted to flight, without their genes having undergone nearly as much change.
-Taxonomically, what should be done with the birds?

• A) The traditional stance is correct. Such dramatic morphological change as undergone by birds merits that the birds be placed in their own order, separate from the reptiles.
• B) The birds should be reclassified, and their new taxon should be the subclass Aves. Genetic similarity trumps morphological dissimilarity in cases where morphological traits are uninformative.
• C) The rest of the reptiles should be reclassified as a subclass within the class Aves.
• D) The classification scheme should remain the same because of historical precedence.

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