Let’s look at the tree diagram. It shows how different animals are related through evolution — kind of like a family tree for species.
The red circle is around the point where two lines meet: one leading to “Blue whale” and one leading to “Pygmy hippopotamus”. That meeting point means those two animals share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with any of the other animals shown above or below them in that group.
So, the red circle highlights the
most recent common ancestor of the Blue whale and the Pygmy hippopotamus.
That’s what we’re being asked to identify — not the animals themselves, but the evolutionary point (ancestor) they both come from.
Final Answer:
The most recent common ancestor of the Blue whale and the Pygmy hippopotamus.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of phylogenetic tree worksheet answers.
