Cladistics Lab
Define the following terms using your book or the internet:
- Vertebrae amniotic egg
- Exoskeleton live birth
- opposable thumbs exoskeleton wings
You are a scientist trying to determine the relationship between the organisms below. Using your knowledge of cladistics create a cladogram that represents how these animals are related. Cut out each of the animals illustrated below and glue them on a separate sheet of paper to create your cladogram.
Consider the following characteristics when designing your cladogram. The terms in bold should be included on your cladogram. Be sure all of your animals are arranged at the top of the cladogram and the distinguishing characteristics are listed.
1. Divide the animals into two groups depending on if they possess vertebrae.
2. Divide the vertebrates into groups according whether they have an amniotic egg or not. (Hint: keep the animals who give live birth with the amniotic egg animals.)
3. Divide those who have amniotic eggs according to the presence of an exoskeleton.
4. Divide those with endoskeleton according to whether or not they give live birth.
5. Divide those with live birth depending on if they possess opposable thumbs.
6. Return to your invertebrates. Divide them according to the presence of an exoskeleton.
7. Divide those with exoskeletons according to whether they possess wings.
Owl yes Turtle Spider Butterfly
Chimpanzee Octopus Toad Elephant
To determine the relationship between the organisms and create a cladogram, we will follow the given characteristics and steps:
1. Divide the animals into two groups depending on if they possess vertebrae:
- Group 1: Chimpanzee (Vertebrate)
- Group 2: Octopus, Spider, Toad, Butterfly (Invertebrates)
2. Divide the vertebrates into groups according to whether they have an amniotic egg or not. Keep the animals who give live birth with the amniotic egg animals:
- Group 1: Chimpanzee (Live birth)
- Group 2: Turtle (Amniotic egg)
3. Divide those who have amniotic eggs according to the presence of an exoskeleton:
- Group 1: Turtle (Exoskeleton)
- Group 2: Chimpanzee (No exoskeleton)
4. Divide those with an endoskeleton (Chimpanzee) according to whether or not they give live birth:
- Group 1: Chimpanzee (Live birth)
5. Divide those with live birth (Chimpanzee) depending on if they possess opposable thumbs:
- Group 1: Chimpanzee (Opposable thumbs)
6. Return to the invertebrates. Divide them according to the presence of an exoskeleton:
- Group 1: Octopus (No exoskeleton)
- Group 2: Spider, Toad, Butterfly (Exoskeleton)
7. Divide those with exoskeletons (Spider, Toad, Butterfly) according to whether they possess wings:
- Group 1: Spider (No wings)
- Group 2: Toad, Butterfly (Wings)
Based on these steps, the cladogram will look like:
Chimpanzee (Opposable thumbs)
|
Turtle
|
Octopus
|
Spider (No wings)
|
Toad, Butterfly (Wings)
Remember to cut out each of the animals illustrated above and glue them on a separate sheet of paper to create your cladogram, ensuring to arrange them at the top and list the distinguishing characteristics.