How To Read Evolutionary Trees

Recall the following two categories of mutations that can occur in DNA and RNA:
​ (a)   Mutations, which occur when one nitrogenous base is substituted for another,
and​ (b)   Mutations, in which a base is removed or added, causing all the subsequent bases to move forward to close the gap or backwards to make space.

• Point
• Frameshift
• Translocation
• Inversion
• Duplication

Comparing body shapes is a less effective method to determine relatedness than is comparing genetic sequences. Thinking back to evidence that supports the theory of evolution, which type of anatomical evidence could make two organisms look more similar despite being less closely related?

• Homologous Structures

• Analogous Structures

• Vestigial Structures

What does that shaded triangle area represent? (The term for a group of organisms including an ancestor and all its descending species.)

Select the node that represents the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of the chimpanzee, weird gray cat-thing, and penguin.

Phylogenetic trees can have the square or rounded branching as in the video, as well as V-shaped branching pictured here. Based on the nodes pictured, is taxa (group/species/organism) C more distantly related to A or E?

• A

• E

In order to determine evolutionary relationships for the phylogenetic tree in this criminal case, what type of biomolecule is compared?

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Proteins

• Nucleic Acids