16 Questions
What is a fundamental principle of a clade?
It consists of an ancestor and all its descendants.
Which of the following is NOT a clade?
Orangutans and gorillas
What does topology refer to in the context of phylogenetic trees?
The relationships shown in a phylogenetic tree
What is a synapomorphy?
A shared derived character
What is an advantage of using molecular characters in building phylogenetic trees?
They can provide thousands or millions of data points
Why are morphological characters sometimes used in tree building?
Because DNA sequence data is often not available for fossil species
What is an example of a non-biological application of phylogenetic analysis?
Analyzing the phylogeny of chess
What do the oldest known chess pieces date back to?
8th century Persia
What is a necessary condition for a group of organisms to be considered a clade?
They share a common ancestor.
What type of characters is typically used when building phylogenetic trees using morphological characters?
Morphological characters of fossils
What is an advantage of using molecular characters in building phylogenetic trees?
It allows for the analysis of a large number of data points
What is the term used to describe the relationships depicted in a phylogenetic tree?
Topology
Which of the following is an example of a non-phylogenetic application of phylogenetic analysis?
Analyzing the evolution of chess
What type of characters is typically used when building phylogenetic trees using DNA sequence data?
Molecular characters
What is a synapomorphy in the context of phylogenetic analysis?
A shared derived character
What is a reason why morphological characters are sometimes used in tree building?
Because DNA sequence data is not available for fossil species
Study Notes
Clades and Phylogeny
- A clade is a group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants.
- Examples of clades include chimps and bonobos, and humans, chimps, and bonobos together.
Phylogenetic Trees
- The topology of a tree refers to the relationships shown in the tree.
- A synapomorphy is a shared derived character.
- Clustering algorithms can be used to group similar species together.
Building Phylogenetic Trees
- Morphological characters can be used to build trees, especially in situations where DNA sequence data is not available (e.g., fossil species).
- Similarities in DNA/protein sequence can also be used to build trees.
- Using molecular data is advantageous as it provides thousands/millions of data points for the tree, and is becoming increasingly cost-effective.
Alternative Applications of Phylogenetics
- Phylogenetic trees can be built using non-biological data, such as the phylogeny of chess.
- Chess scholars were divided into 'out of India' and 'out of China' theories, but the oldest known chess pieces date back to 8th century Persia.
- The game of chess is believed to be much older, with variations in board size, piece numbers, roles, and names.
Clades and Phylogeny
- A clade is a group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants.
- Examples of clades include chimps and bonobos, and humans, chimps, and bonobos together.
Phylogenetic Trees
- The topology of a tree refers to the relationships shown in the tree.
- A synapomorphy is a shared derived character.
- Clustering algorithms can be used to group similar species together.
Building Phylogenetic Trees
- Morphological characters can be used to build trees, especially in situations where DNA sequence data is not available (e.g., fossil species).
- Similarities in DNA/protein sequence can also be used to build trees.
- Using molecular data is advantageous as it provides thousands/millions of data points for the tree, and is becoming increasingly cost-effective.
Alternative Applications of Phylogenetics
- Phylogenetic trees can be built using non-biological data, such as the phylogeny of chess.
- Chess scholars were divided into 'out of India' and 'out of China' theories, but the oldest known chess pieces date back to 8th century Persia.
- The game of chess is believed to be much older, with variations in board size, piece numbers, roles, and names.
This quiz covers the concept of clades, topology, and synapomorphy in phylogenetic trees, including the use of morphological characters and clustering algorithms.
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