How does one read a cladogram?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "reading a cladogram" to get these possible sources:
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=reading+a+cladogram&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2011/11/23/infographic-get-more-out-of-google.html
To read a cladogram, follow these steps:
1. Start by looking at the branches: Each branch represents a group or taxon (e.g., species, genus, family, etc.) of organisms. The length of the branch does not represent time or significance; it's just a visual representation.
2. Observe the nodes: Nodes are points on the cladogram where branches meet. Each node represents a common ancestor shared by the taxa that branch off from it.
3. Trace the branches: Follow the branches from the node outwards. Pay attention to the arrangement of the taxa on each branch. The taxa closer to the node are more closely related to the common ancestor than the taxa farther away.
4. Look at the tips: The tips of the branches represent the extant or extinct species or groups being compared in the cladogram. These are the specific taxa being analyzed for their evolutionary relationships.
5. Analyze the branching pattern: The branching pattern shows the divergent evolution and the relationships between different taxa. The closer the branches are located to each other, the more closely related the taxa or groups are.
6. Use the outgroup: Many cladograms include an outgroup, which is a taxon that is not closely related to the others in the cladogram. Using the outgroup, you can determine which traits are ancestral (present in the outgroup and all groups below it) and which traits are derived (present only in specific taxa or groups).
Overall, when reading a cladogram, pay attention to the branching pattern, nodes, and how different taxa are related to one another. Remember that the cladogram is a visual representation of evolutionary relationships based on shared characteristics or traits.