Question

please help

Answer 1

Three species of mouse that are similar in appearance occupy the same geographic area. One species has tan fur, one has brown fur, and the third has gray fur. Scientists studying these mice assumed that the mice with brown and tan fur would be more closely related, but they discover the tan mice and the gray mice have fewer differences in their genomes than the tan mice and brown mice. Based on this information, which of the following is the most logical conclusion?
Answer
Gray and tan mice share a common evolutionary ancestor that is most likely not related to the brown mice’s ancestors.
Tan and brown mice evolved from the gray mouse, most likely because the fur color provided a survival benefit.
The gray mice does not share a common ancestor with the brown mice.
The tan mice and gray mice share a more recent common evolutionary ancestor than the tan mice and brown mice.

Answer 2

u got me on this 1 I would believe that the answer wound be the 1st one since it is possible that the gray and ten mice were born a cross between the two colors and were descendants of it. So i would go with option 1 srry if it isn't right but it seems to be the best option on there or the most understandable 1.

Answer 3

Actually, you can eliminate the first answer because all the mice have to be evolutionarily related. The data on genomes tell you their evolutionary distances.

Answer 4

ya but what if the creatures reproduced like the gray and tan mouse and then descended from that wouldn't that make them closer related?

Answer 5

I don't understand what you're saying. The simplest (Occam's razor applies) interpretation of the genomic data is that the tan and gray mice share a more recent common ancestor (because their genomes are more similar) than tan and brown mice.