Cladograms

Front

What is a cladogram?

Back

A cladogram is a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on similarities and differences in their physical or genetic characteristics.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Front

What does a common ancestor represent in a cladogram?

Back

A common ancestor in a cladogram represents a species from which two or more descendant species evolved.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

How can you determine which organisms are most closely related in a cladogram?

Back

Organisms that share a more recent common ancestor on a cladogram are considered to be more closely related.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What is the significance of branching points (nodes) in a cladogram?

Back

Branching points (nodes) represent the divergence of two or more groups from a common ancestor.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What characteristic do all organisms to the right of a node share?

Back

All organisms to the right of a node share the characteristics that evolved after that node.

Front

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are similar due to shared ancestry, while analogous structures are similar due to convergent evolution, not shared ancestry.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

Front

What does it mean if two species are on different branches of a cladogram?

Back

If two species are on different branches, it indicates that they have diverged from a common ancestor and may have different evolutionary paths.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What type of information can be inferred from a cladogram?

Back

A cladogram can infer evolutionary relationships, common ancestry, and the relative timing of evolutionary events.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What is the role of traits in constructing a cladogram?

Back

Traits are used to determine relationships among species; shared traits indicate a common ancestor.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What is a derived characteristic?

Back

A derived characteristic is a trait that is present in an organism but was absent in the last common ancestor of the group being considered.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2