Cladograms Flashcard

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What is a cladogram?

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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.

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What does a node represent in a cladogram?

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A node represents a common ancestor from which two or more descendant species diverged.

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What is the significance of the length of branches in a cladogram?

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The length of branches can indicate the amount of evolutionary change or the time since the species diverged from a common ancestor.

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What is a common ancestor?

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A common ancestor is an ancestral species from which two or more species have evolved.

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How do you determine the most distantly related organism in a cladogram?

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The most distantly related organism is found at the end of the longest branch from the common ancestor shared with the other organisms.

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What traits do conifers possess?

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Conifers possess vascular tissue and seeds.

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What is the purpose of traits in a cladogram?

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Traits help to determine the evolutionary relationships and lineage of organisms.

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What does it mean if two organisms share a trait on a cladogram?

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If two organisms share a trait, it indicates that they have a more recent common ancestor compared to organisms that do not share that trait.

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What is the difference between homologous and analogous traits?

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

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What is the role of a cladogram in evolutionary biology?

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A cladogram helps scientists visualize and understand the evolutionary relationships and lineage of different species.