CLADOGRAM ANALYSIS
Name ___________________________Pd____
What is a cladogram? It is a diagram that depicts evolutionary relationships among groups. It
is based on PHYLOGENY, which is the study of evolutionary relationships. Sometimes a
cladogram is called a phylogenetic tree (though technically, there are minor differences
between the two).
In the past, biologists would group organisms based solely on their physical appearance.
Today, with the advances in genetics and biochemistry, biologists can look more closely at
individuals to discover their pattern of evolution, and group them accordingly - this strategy is
called EVOLUTIONARY CLASSIFICATION
CLADISTICS is form of analysis that looks at features of organisms that are considered
"innovations", or newer features that serve some kind of purpose. (Think about what the word
"innovation" means in regular language.) These characteristics appear in later organisms but
not earlier ones and are called DERIVED CHARACTERS.
PART I - Analyze the Cladogram
Examine the sample cladogram, each letter on the diagram points to a derived character, or
something different (or newer) than what was seen in previous groups. Match the letter to its
character. Note: this cladogram was created for simplicity and understanding, it does not
represent the established phylogeny for insects and their relatives.
1. ______ Wings
2. ______ 6 Legs
3. ______ Segmented Body
4. ______ Double set of wings
5. ______ Jumping Legs
6. ______ Crushing mouthparts
7. ______ Legs
8. ______ Curly Antennae
PART II - Create Your Own Cladogram
To make a cladogram, you must first look at the animals you are studying and establish
characteristics that they share and ones that are unique to each group. For the animals on
the table, indicate whether the characteristic is present or not. Based on that chart, create a
cladogram like the one pictured on the previous page.
Cells
Backbone
Legs
Slug
Catfish
Frog
Tiger
Human
DRAWING OF YOUR CLADOGRAM
Hair
Opposable Thumbs
Fill in a cladogram for methods of transportation with the following information. Answer the questions that
follow.
Procedure
1. Think about the characteristics of the following methods of transportation: bicycle, car, motorcycle,
airplane, and on foot.
2. Fill in your cladogram by filling in each method of transportation listed in Step 1 on the appropriate
line at the top.
Analyze and Conclude
1. What “derived characters” are used in this cladogram?
2. Which mode of transportation may be considered an “outgroup”—a group that has none of the
characteristics labeled on the cladogram?
3. A species that has evolved a new trait is not better than a species without that trait. Each species is
just adapted to a certain way of life. When might riding a bike have an advantage over flying in an
airplane?
Use the following information in the chart to construct a cladogram (+ means the animal has the given derived
character trait).
Multicellular Segmented
Jaws
Limbs
Hair
Placenta
Kangaroo
+
+
+
+
+
Earthworm
+
+
Amoeba
Lizard
+
+
+
+
Cat
+
+
+
+
+
+
Sponge
+
Salmon
+
+
+
-
Use the following cladogram to answer the
following questions.
1. What trait separates Lampreys from tuna
on this cladogram?
____________________________________
2. What separates a salamander from a
turtle?______________________________
3. Which organism is most related to the
leopard?____________________________
4. What 4 traits do these two organisms
from question 3 share?
A.
B.
C.
D.
5. Which organism will have DNA most similar to the turtle?_________________________________________
6. Which organism’s DNA will differ the most from the leopard? ______________________________________
7. Which organism does not have a vertebral column?______________________________________________