Cladogram Basics Worksheet
Explore the fundamentals of cladograms, including how to read and interpret evolutionary relationships between organisms.
Includes
Standards
Topics
Cladogram Basics
Name:
Date:
Score:
Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Refer to the provided cladogram for questions that require it.
Observe the cladogram below to answer the following questions:
1. Which of the following animals on the cladogram shares the most recent common ancestor with amphibians?
Fish
Reptile
Bird
Mammal
2. What shared derived characteristic do birds and mammals both possess according to the cladogram?
Feathers
Hair
Claws/Nails
Lungs
3. A cladogram shows the evolutionary relationships between different .
4. The point where two branches split on a cladogram represents a .
5. All organisms on a cladogram share a common ancestor.
True
False
6. A derived characteristic is a trait that is found in the common ancestor of a group, but not in all its descendants.
True
False
7. Explain the difference between a shared derived characteristic and a shared ancestral characteristic.