Chapter 24, Problem 12TYK

Summary Introduction

To review:

The distribution of derived (d) and ancestral characters (a) by constructing a phylogenetic tree based upon the following table.

Character
Species	1	2	3	4	5	6
A	a	a	a	a	a	a
B	d	a	a	a	a	d
C	d	d	d	a	a	a
D	d	d	d	a	d	a
E	d	d	a	d	a	a

Introduction:

In order to study evolutionary relationship between the groups of organisms, phylogenetic trees are used. The basis of a phylogenetic tree may be the behavior of an organism, type of body, kind of behavior, or the molecular features they possess.

The principle of parsimony suggests the simplest way in which the evidence fits. When an evolutionary tree is constructed, the evolutionary changes that are least must be considered.