Hagfish Salamander Lizard Mouse Chimp Perch Pigeon I Jaws Lungs Feathers Fur; mammary glands Claws or nails
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The image shows a cladogram, a diagram that illustrates evolutionary relationships among various organisms based on shared derived traits. This particular cladogram includes the following organisms: hagfish, perch, salamander, lizard, pigeon, mouse, and chimp. Each branching point (node) represents the appearance of a new evolutionary trait.
Correct Order of Organisms According to Shared Traits:
- Hagfish – lacks jaws; the most primitive in this diagram.
- Perch – has jaws but no lungs.
- Salamander – has jaws and lungs but lacks claws or nails.
- Lizard – has jaws, lungs, and claws or nails.
- Pigeon – has all previous traits plus feathers.
- Mouse – has all previous traits (excluding feathers) plus fur and mammary glands.
- Chimp – shares all traits of the mouse and is the most closely related to it in this diagram.
Key Traits in Order of Appearance:
- Jaws: First appear after the hagfish, found in perch and all later organisms.
- Lungs: Appear after perch, found in salamander and beyond.
- Claws or nails: Start with lizard and are present in all further organisms.
- Feathers: Unique to pigeon among this group.
- Fur and mammary glands: Present in mouse and chimp only.
Explanation:
This cladogram helps to understand how traits evolved in a step-by-step pattern. Organisms closer to each other on the diagram share more traits and are more closely related. For example, the mouse and chimp both have fur and mammary glands, suggesting a recent common ancestor. In contrast, the hagfish lacks all the derived traits listed, placing it farthest from the chimp evolutionarily. Cladograms like this are useful tools for visualizing evolutionary history based on physical or genetic traits.
