The DNA sequence of the West Indian Ocean coelacanth is most closely related to which of the following species?

• A. African lungfish
• B. Green sea turtle
• C. Latimeria chalumnae (another coelacanth species)
• D. Atlantic salmon

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of phylogenetic relationships, which describe how species are evolutionarily related based on their genetic sequences.
2. Step 2: Recognize that DNA sequence similarity is used to infer these relationships; species with more similar DNA sequences share a more recent common ancestor.
3. Step 3: Identify the species options given: African lungfish, Green sea turtle, another coelacanth species (Latimeria chalumnae), and Atlantic salmon.
4. Step 4: Recall that coelacanth species are closely related to each other because they belong to the same genus, so their DNA sequences are expected to be more similar compared to species from different groups like lungfish, turtles, or salmon.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the West Indian Ocean coelacanth's DNA sequence is most closely related to Latimeria chalumnae, another coelacanth species, due to their close evolutionary relationship.