Which of the two pylogenetic trees shown in the figure offer

Which of the two pylogenetic trees shown in the figure offers a more parsimonious explanation for the observed character states?

Which of the two phylogenetic trees shown in the figure offers a more parsimonious explanation for the observed character states? Click to view larger image. O a. Tree AA O b. Tree B O C. Tree A and B are equally parsimonious. O d. It would depend entirely on what the presumed ancestral state was (square, circle, etc.).

Solution

b). Tree b offers a more parsimonious explanation for the observed character states.

Parsimony accepts simplest explanation.