A new animal has been discovered in the rainforest. It is very similar in appearance...
A new animal has been discovered in the rainforest. It is very similar in appearance to a known species, and has similar anatomy and dietary patterns; however, it cannot mate with the known species to produce viable offspring. Given only the above information, which of the following statements is correct?
- A. None of the above can be concluded from the information provided alone.
- B. The two animals represent closely related variants of the same species.
- C. The two animals are adapted to live in completely different environments.
- D. The two animals do not belong to the same species
Correct Answer: D. The two animals do not belong to the same species
Explanation
In order for animals to belong to the same species, they must, by definition, be able to mate with one another to produce viable offspring. The question stem says that these two animals cannot mate to produce viable offspring; therefore, they cannot belong to the same species. Since they cannot belong to the same species, they cannot represent closely related variants of the same species, either. Although they are not the same species, the information about their similar anatomy and diet suggests that they likely evolved from a common ancestor, making the answer choice The two animals are adapted to live in completely different environments also incorrect.