Cladograms & Phylogenetic Trees

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What is a cladogram?

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A cladogram is a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms based on shared characteristics.

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What is a phylogenetic tree?

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A phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram that represents the evolutionary history of a group of organisms, illustrating how they are related through common ancestry.

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What is a dichotomous key?

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A dichotomous key is a tool that allows the identification of organisms by answering a series of questions that lead the user to the correct name or classification.

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What are homologous structures?

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Homologous structures are anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry, even if they have different functions.

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What are analogous structures?

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Analogous structures are features in different species that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.

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What are vestigial structures?

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Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor but are no longer functional in the current organism.

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What is biochemical evidence in phylogenetics?

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Biochemical evidence refers to the analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein sequences to determine evolutionary relationships among organisms.

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How do you determine the most closely related species on a cladogram?

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The most closely related species on a cladogram are those that share the most recent common ancestor, indicated by the shortest branch length.

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What is the significance of shared derived characteristics in cladistics?

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Shared derived characteristics are traits that are present in an organism but absent in its distant ancestors, helping to define evolutionary branches.

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What is the purpose of constructing a phylogenetic tree?

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The purpose of constructing a phylogenetic tree is to visualize and understand the evolutionary relationships and history of different species.