The vast majority of animals that ever existed are now extinct, but Tereza Jezkova and John Wiens wondered which variables were most important in driving the diversification of species that exist today. Why are there so many species in some phyla, such as Cnidaria (see photo), but so few in others, such as Ctenophora? A sample of Jekova and Wiens' results is shown here. The R2 value represents the strength of the correlation (where 0.00 is lowest and 1.00 is highest). The P value represents the statistical significance. Which five traits look most important?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the traits with the highest R^2 values, as these indicate the strongest correlations.
2. Check the P values for these traits to ensure they are statistically significant (P < 0.05).
3. Photoreceptors/eyes have an R^2 of 0.38 and a P value < 0.001, indicating a strong and significant correlation.
4. Terrestrial lifestyle has an R^2 of 0.27 and a P value of 0.005, indicating a strong and significant correlation.
5. Parasitic lifestyle has an R^2 of 0.26 and a P value of 0.005, indicating a strong and significant correlation.
6. Separate sexes have an R^2 of 0.17 and a P value of 0.027, indicating a significant correlation.
7. Skeleton has an R^2 of 0.14 and a P value of 0.047, indicating a significant correlation.