I02-19

Question

Phylogenetics studies the evolutionary relationships between species based on their similarities and differences. The table provides phylogenetic data for 56 characteristics of 13 spider species in the Deinopidae family, organized into sets of 10 for easier visualization, except for the last column, which includes 6 characteristics (51 to 56). Each row represents a species, and each column corresponds to one of these characteristics. A digit indicates a variation of the characteristic, a dash (-) means the characteristic does not apply to that species, and a question mark (?) indicates that data for the characteristic is unknown.
      Species   Set 1–10   Set 11–20   Set 21–30   Set 31–40   Set 41–50   Set 51–56       Dictyna arundinacea   00-0000000   00-0000--0   002100--00   00000000-0   100----30-   00-000       D. cylindrica   1101000100   10-0011001   000-011001   11111110-1   0014010111   100???       D. lamia   1101001110   10-0011001   000-011010   000000?101   0010000011   110???       D. spinosa   1101001111   1101011001   000-011010   0000000101   0010000011   110121       Menneus aussie   0110011201   00-0011000   1011110151   1111111101   1112100013   000???       M. bituberculatus   0100011211   00-1011100   000-01002?   ??????????   ??????????   ??????       M. capensis   0100011211   00-0011000   0011110111   0000000101   1110011112   100121       M. darwini   ??????????   ??????????   ?????????0   1111111111   1112100113   001???       M. neocaledonicus   0100010111   00-0000--0   100-010200   11100110-1   1114100010   000???       M. quasimodo   0110010101   00-0011000   100-01003?   ??????????   ??????????   ??????       M. superciliosus   0100011201   00-0011000   0110110121   0000001101   1112100313   000?21       M. trinodosus   0100011211   0101011100   100-010210   0000000101   1111011111   100?21       M. wa   0110011211   00-0011000   0111110121   111111?101   1113000013   000???      
For example, Character 50 represents the number of embolic coils. The digits in this column indicate different variations of the characteristic: 0 represents 2 coils, 1 represents 2.5 coils, 2 represents 3 coils, and 3 represents 3.5 or more coils. This approach helps summarize complex phylogenetic data into a simplified format for easier comparison and analysis.

For each of the following statements, select  True  if the statement can be verified to be true based on the information provided. Otherwise, select  False .

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Statement 1: 
 
For a characteristic to have at least five different possible variations, its column must include at least a 4, meaning the characteristic could have variations of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. This ensures there are at least five unique variations for that characteristic. From the table, we can see that Character 29 for  Menneus aussie  has a variation of 5, and Character 44 for  D. cylindrica  and  M. neocaledonicus  also shows a variation of 4. Therefore, this statement is True.
 
 Statement 2: 
 
The species with the highest number of characteristics with unknown data would have the most question marks (?) in its row. Checking the table, we see that  M. darwini  indeed has the highest number of question marks, totaling 32. Therefore, this statement is True.
 
 Statement 3: 
 
Upon examining the table, we find that  Dictyna arundinacea ,  M. capensis , and  D. spinosa  do not have a question mark (?) in their rows. Therefore, this statement is False.

Correct answer:

Some phylogenetic characteristics exhibit at least five different possible variations.  "True"

M. darwini has the highest number of characteristics with unknown data.  "True"

Each species listed in the Species column has at least one characteristic with unknown data among the 56 provided.  "False"

Bunuel · Answer

I have revised the question, solution, and formatting by adding more details to enhance clarity.

miag · Answer

Do you have any tips on how to solve this question faster?  Bunuel  I needed 2 minutes just to understand the information before and after the table, and how to interpret the values given in the table and then 1.5 minutes to solve the statements. Got it right but I noticed the average time is 1:48 so was wondering how to be more time efficient here!

Bunuel · Answer

Practice similar questions to recognize patterns and structures quickly. Focus on the question stem first, skim for key details, and avoid overanalyzing and excessive calculations. Timed practice will help build speed.

Here is a  link  to explore alternative approaches to this question.

Hope it helps.

sindhureddyalla · Answer

I did not quite understand the solution. For first line

Bunuel · Answer

For Statement 1:

The statement asserts that some phylogenetic characteristics exhibit at least five different possible variations. To verify this, we check whether any column in the table contains values representing at least five distinct variations (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4). Specifically:

Character 29  for  Menneus aussie  includes the digit 5, indicating the presence of six possible variations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). 
  Character 44  for  D. cylindrica  and  M. neocaledonicus  includes the digit 4, confirming at least five variations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4).

This evidence confirms that at least one characteristic has five or more variations, making the statement  True .

bondi123 · Answer

I like the solution - it’s helpful.

ritzysharma · Answer

I did not quite understand the solution. The solution states: For a characteristic to have at least five different possible variations, its column must include at least a 4, meaning the characteristic could have variations of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Then what does the example part of the question mean? For example, Character 50 represents the number of embolic coils. The digits in this column indicate different variations of the characteristic: 0 represents 2 coils, 1 represents 2.5 coils, 2 represents 3 coils, and 3 represents 3.5 or more coils.

Can you explain this?

Bunuel · Answer

The example explains how digits represent variations for  one characteristic  (Character 50) which has  four variations : 0, 1, 2, 3.

The statement asks whether  any characteristic  has  at least five variations,  so we need to see digits like  0,1,2,3,4  in the same column. The table shows that some characteristics, like Character 29, have values up to  5 , so the statement is  True .

serbangavrila · Answer

I like the solution - it’s helpful.

ShivanshSingh69 · Answer

I like the solution - it’s helpful.

f3rn4nd44m0r1m · Answer

I like the solution - it’s helpful.

abhinavvisen · Answer

I did not quite understand the solution. The solution states: For a characteristic to have at least five different possible variations, its column must include at least a 4, meaning the characteristic could have variations of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Then what does the example part of the question mean? For example, Character 50 represents the number of embolic coils. The digits in this column indicate different variations of the characteristic: 0 represents 2 coils, 1 represents 2.5 coils, 2 represents 3 coils, and 3 represents 3.5 or more coils.

Can you explain this?

Bunuel · Answer

The solution checks for at least 4 because in the example, 3 already means 3.5 or more coils, showing that higher values exist. So if a 4 or 5 appears, it confirms that some characteristics have at least five coded variations (0–4 or higher), not necessarily that 4 equals 4 coils.

I02-19

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Species	Set 1–10	Set 11–20	Set 21–30	Set 31–40	Set 41–50	Set 51–56
Dictyna arundinacea	00-0000000	00-0000--0	002100--00	00000000-0	100----30-	00-000
D. cylindrica	1101000100	10-0011001	000-011001	11111110-1	0014010111	100???
D. lamia	1101001110	10-0011001	000-011010	000000?101	0010000011	110???
D. spinosa	1101001111	1101011001	000-011010	0000000101	0010000011	110121
Menneus aussie	0110011201	00-0011000	1011110151	1111111101	1112100013	000???
M. bituberculatus	0100011211	00-1011100	000-01002?	??????????	??????????	??????
M. capensis	0100011211	00-0011000	0011110111	0000000101	1110011112	100121
M. darwini	??????????	??????????	?????????0	1111111111	1112100113	001???
M. neocaledonicus	0100010111	00-0000--0	100-010200	11100110-1	1114100010	000???
M. quasimodo	0110010101	00-0011000	100-01003?	??????????	??????????	??????
M. superciliosus	0100011201	00-0011000	0110110121	0000001101	1112100313	000?21
M. trinodosus	0100011211	0101011100	100-010210	0000000101	1111011111	100?21
M. wa	0110011211	00-0011000	0111110121	111111?101	1113000013	000???

True	False
		Some phylogenetic characteristics exhibit at least five different possible variations.
		M. darwini has the highest number of characteristics with unknown data.
		Each species listed in the Species column has at least one characteristic with unknown data among the 56 provided.