What do new studies utilizing genomic data on earthworm genetics currently help to clarify?
Answer
Relationships between major clades and offering more precise divergence dates
Modern evolutionary research heavily employs genomic data to refine existing phylogenetic understanding. Specifically concerning earthworms, this advanced molecular analysis allows scientists to map genetic relationships between different major clades (groups) with greater resolution. This improved mapping capability leads to the ability to assign more precise chronological estimates, or dates, for when these major evolutionary branches separated from one another in the deep history of life.
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