Which of these statements is true of cladograms?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When examining the statements about cladograms, it’s important to separate representation from interpretation. 
Option 1: 'They illustrate hypothesised evolutionary relationships based on shared characteristics' is correct because cladograms are hypothesized trees that group organisms by shared derived traits to reflect possible evolutionary relationships, not a strict timeline. 
Option 2: 'Longer branches always represent a greater amount of evolutionary change' is a common misconception. In many cladograms, branch lengths are not proportional to time or amount of change; some cladograms use equal lengths for simplicity, while others may vary, but the claim that longer branches always signify more change is not universally true for cladograms and can be misleading. 
Option 3: 'The position of a species at the top of a cladogram indicates it is the most evolved' falsely projects a linear ladder of evolution. Cladograms depict branching patterns without implying a linear progression toward 'more evolved' organisms; all extant species are equally evolved from their common ancestors. 
Option 4: 'Cladograms show the exact time when each species first appeared on Earth' is incorrect because cladograms do not provide precise timing of origin; they show relationships and branching order, not exact divergence dates. Timelines require fossil data or molecular clock methods outside the basic cladogram structure. 
Overall, the statement that best captures the function of cladograms is option 1, while the other options misrepresent how cladograms are interpreted or constructed.

BIOL2032 / WILD2002 (ND) Quiz 1 - What makes Australian wildlife Unique?

Which of these statements is true of cladograms?

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