Question

as the taxonomic levels shared by two species get smaller, the relationship between those species...

• cannot be determined.
• is not affected.
• becomes farther apart.
• becomes closer.

Explanation:

In taxonomy, the more taxonomic levels (like kingdom, phylum, class, etc.) two species share, the more distantly related they are at broader levels. Conversely, as the number of shared taxonomic levels decreases (meaning they share more specific, narrower levels), the species are more closely related. For example, two species in the same genus (a more specific taxonomic level) are more closely related than two species only sharing the same kingdom. So when shared taxonomic levels get smaller (more specific), their relationship becomes closer.

Answer:

D. becomes closer.