Sophie says dolphins and sharks look very similar, so they must be related. Jake disagrees, saying DNA evidence has shown that d
olphins and other aquatic mammals are actually more closely related to the ancestors of modern hippos. Who is correct using the modern system of classification? A.Jake is correct because classification is based on evolutionary relationships. B.Both are correct because traditional and modern classifications can overlap. C.Neither is correct because neither is taking into account both the traditional a
A.Jake is correct because classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
Explanation:
Sophie is wrong since the modern taxonomic classification is based on homolgies, it is the existence of shared ancestry between organs or DNA sequences. In the case of sharks and dolphins, the morphological similarity is not due to homologies but to analogy.
For example, fins in dolphins and sharks are similar but they DO NOT come from the same common ancestor. They are similar structures because they have similar function (swimming) not because they share ancestor. In this case, their fins are analog structures, not homologous.
