Re: the tonight show

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/9/01 9:48:25 PM EST, wuckus@ecol.net writes:

<< Is this correct? Consider four creatures, A, B, C, and D.
 
 A --> B --> C
 
 and 
 
 A --> D
 
 Both C and D have A as their most recent common ancestor, but because B
 interceded, C may, or may not, be more closely related to A than D.
 
 Or, no? >>

No. As species, B, C, D are all descendants of A and thus equally closely 
related to A. We're talking about taxa here, and the analogy with people in a 
family tree breaks down.