Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Exercise 1. The Cladogram I. Objectives: In this exercise the st!

dent shall: 1" de#ine cladistics $" describe and interpret a cladogram %" identi#y the di##erent types o# taxonomic gro!pings based on the cladistic representations o# their phylogeny II. &ethodology '(or this activity the st!dent m!st be #amiliar )ith the initial glossary o# terms provided in the lect!re portion o# the co!rse. *e#er to +1,-./0O1E2ETIC TE*&3.doc )hich can be accessed at http:44gro!ps.yahoo.com4gro!p45io1+$6-&anila. 2ote that ans)ers to the st!dy 7!estions in this exercise can be )ritten at the bac8 o# this page provided that they are appropriately n!mbered." The #ig!res belo) are examples o# a cladogram. It is a branching diagram that depicts relatedness among di##erent gro!ps o# organisms. 9hile not exactly an evol!tionary tree a cladogram is j!st an arti#icial constr!ct that sho)s ho) some species may have branched evol!tion,)ise #rom a previo!sly existing species 'hypothetically an ancestor" based on recent available data.

(ig!res 1a and 1b. Examples o# vertical cladograms. Cladograms may also dra)n side to side b!t many versions are o#ten depicted in a bottom,!p #ashion )herein older gro!ps 'ancestral taxa" are at the bottom )hile recent ones 'descendant taxa" are the the top. 3ome speci#ic parts o# a cladogram are depicted in the next #ig!re.

(ig!re $. A cladogram sho)ing taxa A 5 C : and E as terminal gro!ps 'representing most recent members )hich branched #rom points 'nodes 1 $ % and ;" o# the cladogram. Each node represents an ancestral taxon ')ith gro!p 1 as the common ancestor shared by all o# the terminal taxa. 3t!dy 7!estions 1: a" Explain )hy A 5 and C are sister gro!ps. b" Explain )hy E co!ld be an o!tgro!p. 9hich taxa )o!ld be considered ingro!ps based on yo!r ans)er< c" 6sing the the above cladogram in )hat sit!ation co!ld A be considered an o!tgro!p< It m!st be noted that s)itching o# the order o# the terminal gro!ps is possible b!t the same cladogram )o!ld be represented provided that the chronological branching o# the descendant taxa #rom their respective nodes is maintained. 'An analogy #or this concept is to try to imagine that the cladogam is a complex television antenna in three dimensions and the branching parts can s)ivel or rotate abo!t a node." *e#er to (ig!re %.

(ig!re %. This cladogram is the same as in in the previo!s #ig!re.

A shortc!t method o# )riting the gro!ping in (ig!re $ 'in )hich all 8no)n taxa in the cladogram are incl!ded" is A=5=C=:=E. There is no need to )rite the ancestral gro!ps )ithin this #ormat. It is a given that the )ritten terms 'the >letters?" represent terminal gro!ps ')ith the >=? sign !sed to indicate that each term is part o# a set" and the incl!sion o# the node #rom )hich each terminal gro!p branches is already implied. '(or example A branched #rom % )hile 5 and C branched #rom ; : #rom $ and E #rom 1. Th!s all >ancestral taxa? have been represented in the gro!ping A=5=C=:=E". 3t!dy 7!estions $: d" I# a gro!ping )ritten as A=5=C then )hich ancestral taxa are excl!ded< e" (or the gro!ping o# A=5=C=: )hich terminal taxon is the o!tgro!p< Explain. At this point all gro!pings mentioned #rom (ig!re $ 'or %" namely A=5=C=:=E A=5=C and A=5=C=: are examples o# a monophyletic gro!p. 3imply 8no)n as a clade a monophyletic gro!ping best depicts a phylogenetic incl!siveness o# 8no)n related taxa since an ancestor common to all depicted descendant members is represented in the gro!ping. The descendants #rom the common ancestor by logic incl!de the recent ancestors o# the terminal gro!ps 'i.e. Taxa $ % and ; are also descended #rom Ancestor 1". There#ore in the monophyletic gro!ping A=5=C the common ancestor is Taxon % ')hose descendants also incl!de the taxon at node $". To identi#y )hether a a gro!ping is indeed monophyletic all nodes 'incl!ding the common ancestor" m!st be lin8ed to a )ritten terminal gro!p and all nodes sho!ld branch #rom an incl!ded ancestral taxon. (or the gro!ping A=5=C both nodes % and ; are implied to be part o# the gro!p 'remember that A branches #rom % and both 5 and C branch #rom ;" )hile node ; act!ally also branches #rom node %. There#ore it is o!t)ardly stated they are phylogenetically lin8ed. 3t!dy 7!estions %: #" 5ased on the preceding paragraph can yo! explain ho) the gro!ping A=5=C=: is also a clade< g" 9hat )o!ld be the smallest monophyletic gro!ping sho)n in (ig!re $< Explain. 3ince is is no) 8no)n that (ig!re % sho)s that same cladogram as in (ig!re $ )e can also depict a gro!ping ta8en #rom the same cladogram as :=A=C ' )hich is the same as A=C=:". (or this gro!ping the common ancestor at node $ is incl!ded 'j!st as Taxa % and ; are also incl!ded". .o)ever the )ritten terms do not incl!de a 8no)n descendant o# node ; )hich is Taxon 5. Th!s A=C=: is an example o# a paraphyletic gro!p )herein some 8no)n descendant members o# a clade are excl!ded even tho!gh all common and recent ancestral gro!ps are represented 'i.e. even tho!gh all nodes have been lin8ed i# one descendant taxon is excl!ded then the gro!ping is said to be paraphyletic." (rom (ig!re % )e can also depict a gro!ping :=C=5 ')hich is also similar to 5=C=:". (or this example the nodes ; and $ are incl!ded b!t not node %. Th!s a recent ancestor 'Taxon % )hich also descended #rom the common ancestor $" )as not represented beca!se terminal gro!p A is missing #rom the gro!ping o# 5=C=:. There#ore 5=C=: is an example o# a polyphyletic gro!p in )hich at least one common O* recent ancestor )as excl!ded 'i.e. a node in the

cladogram )as >s8ipped?". In taxonomy it is possible to have polyphyletic or paraphyletic taxa at all levels o# incl!sivencess #rom species to 8ingdoms. 3t!dy 7!estions ;: h" Indicate )hether the #ollo)ing small gro!ps #rom (ig!re $ 'or %" are paraphyletic or polyphletic: A=: A=5 A=C :=C :=E. i" *e#er to the assignment given in the last page o# +1,-./0O1E2ETIC TE*&3.doc and ans)er the 7!estions provided. III. *e#erences: Ernisse :.@. $+++. Introd!ction to -hylogeny: .o) to Interpret Cladograms. C36 (!lletron. 'http:44biology.#!llerton.ed!4biol$A14phylolab.html". Bardong B. $++C. Comparative Vetebrate Anatomy (!nction Evol!tion. (i#th edition. &c1ra),.ill. 2/. Bent and Carr. Comparative Anatomy o# Vertebrates. 2inth edtion. &v1ra),.ill 2/.