Reading and Making a Cladogram

Cladogram – What is it?

• An evolutionary family tree

• Used to be based on physical appearance

• Now based on similar DNA sequences, proteins, or traits

Cladograms show…

1. Probable relationships

2. Probable sequence of origins

3. Shared derived characters

Introduction

• Here are the traits of transportation and how they have developed over time.

Wings

Passengers enclosed

Motor

Wheels

Put the following modes of transportation in the cladogram where they belong based on their structure.Car, Airplane, Bike, Motorcycle, Walking by Foot

AirplaneCar

MotorcycleBike

Foot

Making a Cladogram

1. 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.

2. For the animals on the table, indicate whether the characteristic is present or not.

3. Based on that chart, create a cladogram.

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug

Catfish

Frog

Tiger

Human

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug x

Catfish x

Frog x

Tiger x

Human x

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug x

Catfish x x

Frog x x

Tiger x x

Human x x

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug x

Catfish x x

Frog x x x

Tiger x x x

Human x x x

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug x

Catfish x x

Frog x x x

Tiger x x x x

Human x x x x

Cells Backbone

Legs Hair Opposable Thumbs

Slug x

Catfish x x

Frog x x x

Tiger x x x x

Human x x x x x

Make Your Cladogram

Traits

Time

Cells

Backbone

Legs

Hair

OpposableThumbs

Slug

Catfish

Frog

Tiger

Human