Why Is Sexual Reproduction Believed to Be the Ancestral State

question 47

Multiple Choice

Why is sexual reproduction believed to be the ancestral state in eukaryotes?

• A) Asexual reproduction is completely absent from basal unicellular eukaryotes.
• B) Under the parsimony principle, the most common form of a trait's state is always the ancestral state.
• C) The "twiggy" distribution of obligate asexual reproduction in phylogenetic trees suggests that asexuality is a derived trait.
• D) Evolutionary models suggest that obligate asexual taxa are more prone to extinction than sexual ones.

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Definitions:

Young Adults

Describes individuals in the developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, often marked by exploration and identity formation.

Optimists

Individuals who tend to maintain a hopeful and positive outlook on life and its future outcomes, often facing challenges and setbacks with a sense of opportunity.

Explanatory Styles

Cognitive approaches individuals use to explain the causes of events, often categorized as optimistic or pessimistic.

Pessimists

Individuals who tend to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future.