Which of the following statements about the assumptions of cladistics is stated incorrectly?

• A. Changes in characteristics occur over time within lineages.
• B. All groups of organisms are related by descent from a common ancestor.
• C. Genetic traits always evolve independently and never interact with each other.
• D. Some traits are shared due to common ancestry rather than convergent evolution.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the basic assumptions of cladistics, which is a method used to reconstruct evolutionary relationships based on shared derived characteristics.
2. Step 2: Review each statement carefully to determine if it aligns with cladistic principles: (a) Changes in characteristics occur over time within lineages — this is true as evolution causes traits to change over time.
3. Step 3: (b) All groups of organisms are related by descent from a common ancestor — this is a fundamental assumption of cladistics, reflecting the tree-like pattern of evolution.
4. Step 4: (c) Genetic traits always evolve independently and never interact with each other — this is incorrect because traits can be linked genetically or influenced by epistasis, meaning they do not always evolve independently.
5. Step 5: (d) Some traits are shared due to common ancestry rather than convergent evolution — this is true and important for distinguishing homologous traits from analogous traits in cladistics.