Identifying members of a clade
Phylogeny is the history of evolution of the species that is shown through the relationship among the broad group of organisms (reference to lines of descent)
The image on the left shows how a group of lineages form a clade and if all of the organisms on the branch can make up a clade or not.
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades.
Clades are difficult to identify because of morphological and genetic data is unclear. Evolution varies between species and at different rates , for example a certain morphological feature, spines, evolve in a parallel evolution.
Each clade has its own series of characteristics that is apparent in its members. Synapomorphies, the possession of two or more organisms that share the same characteristics inherited from their common ancestor, is used to identify the characteristics of a clade. Obtained evidence about the base sequence of a gene or the corresponding amino acid pattern of a protein can show which part of a clade the species are from.
The image on the left shows how a group of lineages form a clade and if all of the organisms on the branch can make up a clade or not.
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades.
Clades are difficult to identify because of morphological and genetic data is unclear. Evolution varies between species and at different rates , for example a certain morphological feature, spines, evolve in a parallel evolution.
Each clade has its own series of characteristics that is apparent in its members. Synapomorphies, the possession of two or more organisms that share the same characteristics inherited from their common ancestor, is used to identify the characteristics of a clade. Obtained evidence about the base sequence of a gene or the corresponding amino acid pattern of a protein can show which part of a clade the species are from.