Species X is an extinct animal. A scientist has discovered fossils of species X and compared them to species Y, a living animal that inhabits the same area where the fossils were found. The scientist has noted that the two animals share several physical characteristics. What can the scientist most likely conclude about the two types of animals?
The scientist can most likely conclude that species X and species Y are related or have a common ancestor. The shared physical characteristics suggest that they belong to the same evolutionary lineage or have undergone convergent evolution.
