Concept explainers
- a. In this hypothetical phylogenetic tree, which number represents the common ancestor of all the taxa?
- b. Which letter represents the basal taxon?
- c. Which of the terminal taxa (A-F) are sister taxa?
a.
To identify: The number that represents the common ancestor of all taxa in the hypothetical phylogenetic tree.
Introduction: The phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram that shows the pattern of evolutionary descent. It paves the way to know the evolutionary relationship between different species or groups of organisms based on their genetical and physical characteristics.
Explanation of Solution
The phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram that shows the pattern of evolutionary descent. In a rooted phylogenetic tree, branching represents the evolutionary relationships. The branch point is the point where a single lineage is evolved into a distinct one. The lowest or the common ancestor is the one that serves as a root for all taxa in the phylogenetic tree. Number “1” serves as a common ancestor for all taxa in the given hypothetical phylogenetic tree.
b.
To determine: The letter that represents the basal taxon.
Introduction: The phylogenetic tree shows the evolutionary pathways and connections among different organisms.
Explanation of Solution
The phylogenetic tree is used to show the pattern of evolutionary descent of different organisms. The dichotomous branch point in the phylogenetic tree represents the divergence of two taxa from a common ancestor. A basal taxon is the one that is diverged early from its ancestor in the evolutionary history of a group. In the given phylogenetic tree, letter “A” represents the basal taxon because it has diverged early from its ancestor.
c.
To determine: The sister taxa of the terminal taxa (A-F).
Introduction: The phylogenetic tree depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different organisms from a common ancestor. It helps in the study of evolutionary history of different organisms.
Explanation of Solution
A phylogenetic tree depicts the branching history of common ancestry. In the phylogenetic tree, branch point represents the divergence of two taxa from a common ancestor. These two diverging taxa are the closest relatives of each other and known as a sister taxa. In the given phylogenetic tree, letters B and C and letters D and E represent the sister taxa of the terminal taxa (A-F), as they are diverge from a common ancestor.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 26 Solutions
Study Guide for Campbell Biology
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Anatomy & Physiology (6th Edition)
Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (7th Edition)
Laboratory Experiments in Microbiology (11th Edition)
Laboratory Manual for Holes Human Anatomy & Physiology Fetal Pig Version
Brock Biology of Microorganisms (14th Edition)
- a. draw a diagonal tree b. Which organism is an outgroup? c. Which organisms are sister taxa or share a common ancestor?arrow_forwardGenerate a present (1) or absent (0) code of each character. Afterward, draw the overall phylogenetic tree with the corresponding characters splitting the tree.arrow_forwardD. Place a star at the most recent common ancestor that A-D share. E. Place a triangle at the most recent common ancestor that A-E share.arrow_forward
- Which statement is usually true about phylogenetic trees? a) nodes represent points when traits have evolved b) branch tips that are next to each other are more closely related c) the branching pattern describes the hypothesized evolutionary relationships between the taxa d) the order of the branch tips (left to right) indicates which taxa are more advanced evolutionarilyarrow_forwardConsider the cladogram shown. 1. Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synamorphies)? 2. Which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states (plesiomorphies)?arrow_forwardAll the information you need is provided.arrow_forward
- Compare phylogenetic trees created using DNA data with phylogenetic trees created using chromosomal banding patterns. Which technique do you think is more valuable and why?arrow_forwardSpecies A was recently discovered and its DNA sequence was compared to the DNA of the four previously known species from the same genus. The comparison revealed this particular species is the most recent one, the one that diverged last. Show the mismatched nucleotides between these DNA sequences (mark them and count them) and then draw a phylogenetic tree that shows their relationship. You can draw the tree by hand.Species A 5’ A A G G C C A A A C T T T G G G T A T A G C A T A 3’Species B 5’ A A G G C C A A A C C G T G G G T A T A G C G A A 3’ ____________Species C 5’ A A G G C C A A A C T T T G G G T A T A G C G A A 3’ ____________Species D 5’ A A C T C C A A A C C G T G G G T A T A G C G A A 3’ ____________Species E5’ A A G G C C A A A C T T T G G G T A T A G C G T A 3’ __________arrow_forwardWhich of the following is/are TRUE in phylogenetic analysis? 0000000 A. In a phylogram, the longer the branch length, the lesser genetic change. B. A bootstrap value of 90-100 indicates a weakly supported clade. C. Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Parsimony does not consider convergence as an influencing factor in creating an evolutionary tree. D. Phylogenetic analysis treats each base of a sequence as a molecular character for analysis. Both C and D are True statements. Both B and Care True statements. None. All of the statements are False.arrow_forward
- A phylogenetic tree is different from a cladogram in that ... Group of answer choices A: it shows that all species are not related to a common ancestor, but each has a distinct archetype. B: it represents the time scale of evolution, including where extinct species fit in. C: it uses an outgroup to compare a small group of species that exhibit similar traits D: it is not based on genetic or morphological evidence.arrow_forwardIn the table below is a short gene sequence in 4 closely related taxa and an outgroup. Based on comparisons of this DNA sequence, determine the placement of these four taxa in the phylogenetic tree below. Clearly identify the taxon (P, Q, R, or S) that corresponds to each branch tip (1, 2, 3, or 4). Based on your constructed tree, is Species P more closely related to Species Q or Species S? Justify your answer.arrow_forwardPhylogenetic trees are used to show the evolutionary relationships among various biological species and are usually based upon shared derived characters. In constructing phylogenetic trees, it is useful to first draw up a character table to show the presence or absence of characters among the various groups of organisms being studied. a. Draw up a character table based upon the following shared derived characters of land plants: flowers, seeds, vascular tissues, and dependent embryos. Your character table must include the names/descriptions of the plant groups that are being characterized. b. Construct a phylogenetic tree based on this data.arrow_forward
- Concepts of BiologyBiologyISBN:9781938168116Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James WisePublisher:OpenStax College