Question

use the phylogenetic tree to the right to choose the true statement below.
crocodiles are more closely related to amphibians than to primates.
ray - finned fish evolved before sharks.
rodents and rabbits are most closely related to primates.
amphibians are more closely related to ray - finned fish than to primates.
done
(phylogenetic tree with labels: shark, ray - finned fish, amphibians, primates, rabbits, rodents and rabbits, crocodiles, dinosaurs and birds)

Explanation:

1. Analyze the first option: Crocodiles and primates share a more recent common ancestor than crocodiles and amphibians (since primates, rodents/rabbits, crocodiles, dinosaurs/birds are on a more closely related branch group compared to amphibians which are earlier). So this is false.
2. Analyze the second option: Sharks and ray - finned fish branch off from a common ancestor, and there's no indication ray - finned fish evolved before sharks. So this is false.
3. Analyze the third option: Rodents and rabbits share a very close branch (they are on the same small branch before joining with primates' branch), meaning they are most closely related to primates among the options (compared to other groupings). This is true.
4. Analyze the fourth option: Amphibians and primates (along with rodents/rabbits, crocodiles, etc.) share a more recent common ancestor than amphibians and ray - finned fish. So this is false.

Answer:

Rodents and rabbits are most closely related to primates.