Name ____________________________________ Date _____________________ Period ____
Evolution: Building Cladograms
Complete parts A-E regarding cladogram construction and
Part A
Think about the characteristics of the following methods of transportation: bicycle, car, motorcycle,
airplane, and on foot.
1.
Complete your cladogram by filling in each method of transportation on the appropriate line at
the top.
Wings Passengers enclosed Motor Wheels 2. According to the cladogram, which trait separates bicycles from airplanes, motorcycles, and
cars?
3. How many traits in common does the airplane and motorcycle have in common?
4. What is the point where two objects break away from each other called?
5. Which mode of transportation would be considered an "outgroup" — a group that has none of
the characteristics labeled on the cladogram?
Part B
6. Fill in the following table below. Mark an ‘X’ if an organism has the trait.
hair
legs
thumbs
upright
posture
eyes
Human
Snake
Monkey
Mouse
7. Add each of the organisms to the cladogram below: human, snake, monkey, mouse. Then add
traits that make the organisms different from each other. (With the slash marks)
8. According to your cladogram, which of the following two species are more closely related:
humans and snakes or humans and mice? How do you know?
9. According to your diagram, what species are humans most closely related to? How do you
know?
Part C
10. Fill in the following table. Mark an ‘X’ if an organism has the trait.
Cells
legs
6 legs (exactly)
wings
Worm
Spider
Ant
Fly
11. Add each of these organisms to the cladogram below: worm, spider, ant, fly. Then, add traits that
make the organisms different from each other (with slash marks).
12. According to your cladogram, which two species are more closely related: worms and spiders or
worms and ants? How do you know?
13. According to your cladogram, what species are flies most closely related to? How do you know?
Part D
Figure 1
14. Which organisms in the cladogram in Figure 1 have fur and mammary glands?
15. Which organisms in the cladogram in Figure 1 have jaws?
16. Based on the cladogram in Figure 1, which shared a common ancestor most recently – a mouse
and a lizard or a mouse and a perch?
17. Which two organisms would you expect to have a closer matching DNA sequence for a gene
that is NOT under selective pressure in nature – Hagfish and Pigeon or Hagfish and
Salamander?
Part E: Molecular Evidence
Cytochrome C is a protein located in the mitochondria of cells involved with cellular respiration.
Compare each organism’s Cytochrome C DNA sequences with the ancestor cell and each other.
Circle or highlight the differences (mutations) present in the Cytochrome C DNA sequences
compared to the ancestor cell.
Cytochrome C DNA Sequence Data
Organism
DNA sequence
Ancestor cell
ATTAGCGACCAGTATATCCTACAATCCGTCTACTTCATT
Amoeba
ATTAGCGACCAGTTTATCCTACAATCCCGTCTACTTCAT
Kangaroo
CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATCTACTAAGT
Earthworm
CTTATCGACCCGTTTATCCTACATTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
Cat
TTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATCTACTAAGT
Shark
CTTATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
Dolphin
CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATGTAGTAAGT
Lizard
CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
Sponge
ATTATCGACCAGTTTATCCTACATTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
# of
mutations
0
18. Using the data above, make a cladogram in the space provided below.
19. What two organisms have similar physical characteristics, but dissimilar DNA? Why might these
two organisms have similar morphology despite not sharing a recent common ancestor?
20. Which type of evidence for evolution is most accurate in determining evolutionary relationships –
morphology or molecular and why?