Lab 4: Phylogenetics

Question 1

Phylogeny

Answer 1

evolutionary descent of modern organisms from extinct ancestors can be depicted on an evolutionary tree,

Question 2

Homology

Answer 2

• Similarity due to
  common descent.
• Two organisms share a homologous feature if they both inherited that feature from their common ancestor
• Hair is a homologous feature of mammals such as bats and primates. It evolved in the mammalian ancestor

Question 3

Homoplasy

Answer 3

• similarity not due to common descent
• . The wings of bats and the wings of birds represent a homoplastic similarity between these two groups
• Although the bones that make up the wings are homologous traits, the wings themselves are homoplastic
• Bats and birds evolved wings independently (purple arrows).
• Their common ancestor did not have wings. (Where is this ancestor on the

Question 4

When two species diverge from a common ancestor, they inherit countless?

Answer 4

Similarities from that ancestor. These similarities represent homology.

Question 5

if their divergence is extremely recent

Answer 5

two species will still share many homologies.