Question

dr. digger, a paleontologist, finds a fossil that he describes in his journal. the creature was approximately 1 meter long, with its backbone fused into a large shell covering the body cavity. it had a beaklike mouth, without teeth, and all four limbs were in the form of flippers. based on anatomical similarities, to which modern animal is dr. diggers creature most closely related? zebra bony fish sea turtle snake

Explanation:

The fossil has a backbone - indicating vertebrate, a shell, beak - like mouth without teeth and flippers. Sea turtles have a shell, are vertebrates, have a beak - like mouth and flippers for limbs. Zebras are land - dwelling mammals with teeth and no shell or flippers. Bony fish don't have a shell covering the body cavity and limbs in the form of flippers. Snakes are limbless reptiles.

Answer:

C. sea turtle