Grade 9 Cladistics Worksheet
This worksheet covers fundamental concepts of cladistics, including interpreting cladograms, identifying shared derived characters, and understanding evolutionary relationships.
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Grade 9 Cladistics Worksheet
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Refer to the provided cladogram for relevant questions.
Observe the cladogram below to answer the following questions:
1. Which organisms share the most recent common ancestor according to the cladogram?
Fish and Amphibians
Birds and Mammals
Lizards and Birds
Snakes and Crocodiles
2. What does a node on a cladogram represent?
A shared derived character
A common ancestor
A terminal taxon
An analogous structure
3. A shared derived character is also known as a .
4. The process of grouping organisms by common descent is called .
5. All organisms on a cladogram share a common ancestor.
True
False
6. Cladograms always show the exact time of divergence between species.
True
False
7. Briefly explain the difference between homologous and analogous structures in the context of cladistics.
8. Why is it important to use shared derived characters (synapomorphies) when constructing a cladogram?
Use the words below to complete the sentences.
9. A group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants is called a .
10. In cladistics, the principle of suggests that the simplest explanation is usually the best.