UNIT 2-2: Telephone Cladograms
Honors Biology II, Mr. Doc Miller
North Central High School
Name:
Period:
Lab Team:
Date:
ACTIVITY: Telephone Cladograms
Objective: The purpose of this activity is to explore the concept of cladograms and how they help visualize
evolutionary relationships between organisms.
Background: Cladograms are tools that biologists use to visualize evolutionary relationships. The way that
they show evolutionary relationships is by branching when two organisms differ from each other in some way,
whether that be anatomical, behavioral, functional, or molecular. Admittedly, they can get to be quite complex
and confusing. In order to simplify the concept, we will be working with cladograms revolving around the
invention of the telephone. The following cladograms will deal with the history of telephones from the first
phones to today’s modern cell phones.
1. First, we will consider the simple cladogram below, which shows the relationship between different
types of cell phones.
B
A
C
Standard Full
Keypad Keypad
Touch
Screen
Feature
Standard Keypad
Standard Screen
Full Keypad
Touch Screen
Phone A
X
X
Phone B
X
X
Phone C
X
X
a. Looking at the above cladogram, which phone is closest in relationship to Phone C? Why?
b. Charts, like the one shown above, are sometimes used to help put cladograms together. The chart
shows what features each organism, or phone in this case, has in common or how they differ. What
is/are the difference(s) between Phone A and Phone C?
c. In your own words, what does a cladogram show? How?
GRADE:
/20
2. Good! Now, let’s consider a more complex cladogram that traces the evolution of telephones from
Alexander Graham Bell to present.
B
A
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Internet
Touch
Dial on
Handset
Combined
Speaker/Micr
ophone
Handset
Texting
Mobile
Cordless
Touch
Dial
Operator
Rotary
Dial
a. Show where the following phones would go in the cladogram.
J.
Telegraph
L.
N.
K.
Tin cans and string
Rotary dial on handset with cord
iPhone 4
O.
M.
Mobile bag phone
Early telephone
P.
Wrist phone
b. Based on the cladogram, what can you infer about Phones B and C? Explain.
3. Biologically, one could use anatomical features, behavior, or molecular similarities and differences in
constructing a cladogram. Molecularly, one could look at the number of mutations in a common strand of DNA.
Another way would be to compare strings of amino acids and note differences in the order of the amino acids.
Cytochrome c is a protein located in the mitochondria of cells involved with cellular respiration. Below is a
table showing the amino acid sequences for cytochrome c in several organisms.
Organism
Biochemical Data
Amoeba
Amino Acid Sequence: ISO-SER-ASP-GLN-PHE-ILE-LEU-GLN-SER-ARG-LEU-LEU-HIS
DNA Sequence: ATTAGCGACCAGTTTATCCTACAATCCCGTCTACTTCAT
Kangaroo
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-PRO-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-LEU-SER-HIS-LEU-LEU-SER
DNA Sequence: CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATCTACTAAGT
Earthworm
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-ASP-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-HIS-SER-ARG-LEU-LEU-ARG
DNA Sequence: CTTATCGACCCGTTTATCCTACATTCCCGTCTACCTTCGT
Cat
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-PRO-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-LEU-SER-HIS-LEU-LEU-SER
DNA Sequence: TTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATCTACTAAGT
Shark
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-PRO-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-LEU-SER-ARG-LEU-LEU-ARG
DNA Sequence: CTTATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
Dolphin
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-PRO-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-LEU-SER-HIS-VAL-VAL-SER
DNA Sequence: CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCATGTAGTAAGT
Lizard
Amino Acid Sequence: LEU-ISO-PRO-PRO-PHE-ILE-LEU-LEU-SER-ARG-LEU-LEU-ARG
DNA Sequence: CTAATCCCCCCGTTTATCCTACTTTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
Sponge
Amino Acid Sequence: ISO-ISO-ASP-GLN-PHE-ILE-LEU-HIS-SER-ARG-LEU-LEU-ARG
DNA Sequence: ATTATCGACCAGTTTATCCTACATTCCCGTCTACTTCGT
a. The more amino acids that an organism has in common, both type and order, indicates the closer the
relationship. The same is true for nucleotides. Compare the biochemical data above. Which organism
is most closely related to the lizard? Why?
b. Which organism is most closely related to the Dolphin? Why?
c. How do you think different amino acid sequences would effect organisms? Explain your answer.
4. Construct a cladogram using the table below. Label the branches with the appropriate structures.
Characters
Cells with flagella
Symmetry
Bilateral Symmetry
Mesoderm
Head develops first
Anus develops first
Segmented body
Calcified Shell
Chitonous
Exoskeleton
Water-vascular
system
Sponge
X
Jellyfish
X
X
Flatworm Earthworm
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Snail
X
X
X
X
X
Fruitfly
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Starfish
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X