Life: The Science of Biology 11th Edition

Published by W. H. Freeman
ISBN 10: 1-31901-016-4
ISBN 13: 978-1-31901-016-4

Chapter 21 - Reconstructing and Using Phylogenies - 21.1 - All of Life Is Connected through Its Evolutionary History - 21.1 Recap - Learning Outcomes - Page 452: 2

Answer

Ancestral, or primitive, traits are those passed down from distant ancestors. Derived traits refer to those that appeared by mutation in the most recent ancestor. Ancestral and derived traits are relative to what phylogenetic branch an organism is on.

Work Step by Step

Ancestral, or primitive, traits are those passed down from distant ancestors. Derived traits refer to those that appeared by mutation in the most recent ancestor. Ancestral and derived traits are relative to what phylogenetic branch an organism is on.
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