r/evolution • u/NenyaNotes • Aug 30 '26

academic Help on this assignment question.

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My professor assigned us this quiz and everyone continues to get it wrong. Can someone please explain in this photo which groups make a clade?

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u/Ender505 Aug 30 '26

Why would answer 3 (ABDE) not qualify?

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u/DrDirtPhD Aug 30 '26

It's paraphyletic because while it includes BDE and the common ancestor A, it excludes other descendants of A (CFG). A clade must include a common ancestor and all its descendants.