Phylogenetics

Wes Hyman, Connor Cole, and Ben Harner

AP Big Idea

Essential knowledge 1.B.2: Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are

graphical representations (models) of evolutionary history that can be
tested.

a. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can represent traits that are

either derived or lost due to evolution.

b. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms illustrate speciation that has

occurred, in that relatedness of any two groups on the tree is shown by
how recently two groups had a common ancestor.

c.Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can be constructed from

morphological similarities of living or fossil species, and from DNA and
protein sequence similarities, by employing computer programs that
have sophisticated ways of measuring and representing relatedness
among organisms.

d. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are dynamic (i.e., phylogenetic

trees and cladograms are constantly being revised), based on the
biological data used, new mathematical and computational ideas, and
Cladogram vs Phylogenetic Tree

More of a hypothesis about True evolutionary history using

evolutionary history more concrete evidence

Arbitrary branch length Branch length indicates amount

of change
Branch: represent the lineages of organisms you
are depicting in your tree.

Node: the point on a cladogram or phylogenetic tree

from which more than one branch extends; denotes
speciation

Ingroup: the group of organisms of primary

interest; evolutionary relationships within the ingroup are
determined using synapomorphies

Outgroup: a group of organisms used as a point

of reference for comparison with the groups of primary
interest

Clade: A part of a tree consisting of an ancestral

species and all of its descendants.
Taxon Groups

Monophyletic group: includes a single

common ancestor and all of its descendants. A
monophyletic taxon is equivalent to a clade

Polyphyletic group: pertaining to a group of

taxa derived from 2 or more different ancestors.

Paraphyletic group: consists of an

ancestral species and some, but not all, of its
descendants.
Cladogram from Trait Matrix

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