Species A and species B are in the same phylum. Species A and species C, but not species B, are in the same order. From this information you can conclude that __________.

• A. species A and species B are in the same family
• B. species B and species C share a less recent ancestor than do species A and B
• C. all three species are members of the same genus
• D. all three species are not members of the same phylum
• E. species C could be in the same class as species A and B

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the hierarchical classification system in biology, which includes levels such as phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.
2. Recognize that species A and species B are in the same phylum, meaning they share a common ancestor at the phylum level.
3. Note that species A and species C are in the same order, indicating they share a more recent common ancestor than species A and species B, which are only in the same phylum.
4. Since species B is not in the same order as species A and C, species B could still be in the same class as species A and C, as class is a broader category than order.
5. Conclude that species C could be in the same class as species A and B, because class is a higher taxonomic level than order, allowing for the possibility of species C being in the same class as species A and B despite not being in the same order as species B.