Cladogram Worksheet - Fill Online, Printable, Fillable, Blank ... - Free Printable

I'll solve this cladogram problem step by step. Let me first examine the image closely to understand the diagram and then answer each question.

First, look closely:
The image shows a cladogram titled "Cladograms Option 1" with six organisms: Hagfish, Perch, Salamander, Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, and Chimp. The cladogram illustrates evolutionary relationships through shared derived characteristics, which are labeled along the branches: Jaws, Lungs, Claws or nails, Feathers, and Fur; mammary glands.

I need to answer 9 questions based on this cladogram. Let me start by answering them one by one.

Question 1: How many derived characteristics are represented on the diagram above?

Looking at the cladogram, I can count the derived characteristics shown:
- Jaws
- Lungs
- Claws or nails
- Feathers
- Fur; mammary glands

That's 5 derived characteristics.

Question 2: Which animals have claws or nails?

Looking at the cladogram, "Claws or nails" appears after the branch for Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, and Chimp. This means these four animals have claws or nails.

Question 3: Which animals have jaws?

"Jaws" is the first characteristic shown on the cladogram, appearing after Hagfish. This means all animals except Hagfish have jaws: Perch, Salamander, Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, and Chimp.

Question 4: How many derived characteristics separate hagfish from chimps and what are they?

Hagfish is at the base of the cladogram, while Chimp is at the top. To get from Hagfish to Chimp, we pass through all the derived characteristics: Jaws, Lungs, Claws or nails, and Fur; mammary glands. That's 4 characteristics.

Question 5: How many derived characteristics separate perch from pigeons and what are they?

Perch has Jaws but not Lungs (since Lungs appear after Perch). Pigeons have Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails. So the characteristics separating them are Lungs and Claws or nails. That's 2 characteristics.

Question 6: Which derived characteristic(s) do salamanders and mice have in common?

Salamanders have Jaws and Lungs. Mice have Jaws, Lungs, Claws or nails, and Fur; mammary glands. So they have Jaws and Lungs in common.

Question 7: Which derived characteristics do pigeons and lizards have in common?

Pigeons have Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails. Lizards have Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails. So they have Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails in common.

Question 8: Which two organisms are more closely related hagfish and perch or perch and lizards? How did you make your conclusion?

Perch and lizards are more closely related. Hagfish and perch are separated by only one characteristic (Jaws), but perch and lizards share more recent common ancestors as they both have Jaws and Lungs, while hagfish doesn't have either. In cladistics, organisms that share more recent derived characteristics are more closely related.

Question 9: Which two organisms are more closely related lizards and pigeons or mice and chimps? How did you make your conclusion?

Mice and chimps are more closely related. Both mice and chimps share all the derived characteristics up to Fur; mammary glands. Lizards and pigeons share Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails, but pigeons have Feathers while lizards don't, and mice and chimps both have Fur; mammary glands, indicating they share a more recent common ancestor.

Let me now provide the final answers:

1. 5 derived characteristics
2. Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, and Chimp
3. Perch, Salamander, Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, and Chimp
4. 4 characteristics: Jaws, Lungs, Claws or nails, and Fur; mammary glands
5. 2 characteristics: Lungs and Claws or nails
6. Jaws and Lungs
7. Jaws, Lungs, and Claws or nails
8. Perch and lizards are more closely related because they share more recent derived characteristics (Jaws and Lungs) compared to Hagfish and Perch (only Jaws).
9. Mice and chimps are more closely related because they share the most recent derived characteristic (Fur; mammary glands) indicating a more recent common ancestor.