Recently, a team of scientists digging through a tar pit unearthed a jawbone fossil. Initially, the team hypothesized that the jawbone came from a young gomphothere, a now extinct distant relative of the elephant, since the teeth were those of a juvenile. The gomphothere, however, is known for its large molars, and the teeth on the jawbone would not allow enough room for the molars of an adult gomphothere to fit. Based on this evidence, the scientists conclude that the jawbone fossil provides evidence of a distinct species closely related to the gomphothere.

Which of the following, if true, would best provide evidence showing that the conclusion above is possibly flawed?

A) The manner in which teeth grow provide sufficient evidence for the accurate classification of a bygone species.
B) In order for the molars of an adult gomphothereto emerge, several juvenile teeth are first forced out of the gums to accommodate the molars.
C) The molars of an adult mastodon, a close relative of the gomphothere, are similar in size to those of an adult gomphothere.
D) Many fossils exist that have yet to be conclusively attributed to any one species.
E) The juvenile jawbone of a species related to a gomphothere is longer than the juvenile jawbone of a gomphothere.

OA B

Source: Magoosh