Cladograms Flashcard

Front

What is a cladogram?

Back

A cladogram is a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on their shared characteristics.

Front

What trait was last developed according to the provided cladogram?

Back

Opposable thumbs.

Front

Who is the closest relative to humans according to the cladogram?

Back

Yeast.

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What traits do conifers possess?

Back

Conifers have vascular tissue and seeds.

Front

What is the primary purpose of a cladogram?

Back

To map the ancestral relationships and shared traits of different organisms.

Front

What are shared derived traits?

Back

Traits that are present in an organism but absent in its distant ancestors, used to determine evolutionary relationships.

Front

What is the significance of vascular tissue in plants?

Back

Vascular tissue allows for the transport of water, nutrients, and food throughout the plant.

Front

What are the main groups of organisms represented in a cladogram?

Back

The main groups include species, genera, families, and higher taxonomic levels.

Front

How do cladograms differ from phylogenetic trees?

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Cladograms focus on the branching patterns of evolution without indicating the time scale, while phylogenetic trees include time and evolutionary distances.

Front

What is a common misconception about cladograms?

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A common misconception is that cladograms show the 'progress' of evolution, when in fact they show relationships among species.