Cladograms and 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, illustrating how they are related through common ancestors.

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What does each node on a cladogram represent?

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Each node represents the last point at which two groups shared a common ancestor.

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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, showing how they have diverged from common ancestors over time.

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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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What are derived characteristics?

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Derived characteristics are traits that are present in an organism but were absent in the last common ancestor of the group being considered.

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What is the significance of a monophyletic group?

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A monophyletic group includes an ancestor and all of its descendants, representing a complete branch of the evolutionary tree.

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How do scientists use cladograms?

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Scientists use cladograms to hypothesize the evolutionary relationships and lineage of different species based on shared characteristics.

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What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

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

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What is the purpose of a phylogenetic analysis?

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The purpose of phylogenetic analysis is to understand the evolutionary relationships and history of organisms.

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What is a clade?

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A clade is a group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all its descendants.