Discuss the purpose of cladistics Flashcards
What is cladistics?
Cladistics is a method of classifying organisms based on shared derived characteristics.
True or False: Cladistics focuses on the evolutionary relationships between species.
True
Fill in the blank: Cladistics uses a visual representation called a _____ to illustrate relationships.
cladogram
What is the primary purpose of cladistics?
The primary purpose of cladistics is to establish the evolutionary relationships and lineage of organisms.
Which of the following is a key concept in cladistics? A) Homologous traits B) Analogous traits C) Both A and B
A) Homologous traits
What are shared derived characteristics known as in cladistics?
Synapomorphies
True or False: Cladistics can help in predicting characteristics of unknown organisms.
True
What does a cladogram represent?
A cladogram represents the branching patterns of evolutionary relationships among species.
Multiple Choice: Which term refers to a group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all its descendants? A) Paraphyletic B) Monophyletic C) Polyphyletic
B) Monophyletic
What is the significance of using cladistics in biological classification?
Cladistics provides a framework for understanding the evolutionary history and relationships between different species.