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Constructing-a-Phylogeny

This document provides instructions for students to construct a phylogenetic tree of 14 imaginary species of caminalcules based on their characteristics. Students are asked to group the species into genera based on their resemblances, create a character table distinguishing each species, and draw a phylogenetic tree showing evolutionary relationships and using the information provided on shared ancestors between groups. The activity aims to teach students how to classify organisms and hypothesize evolutionary relationships through a fictional example with a fully known phylogeny.

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Luana Lima Freitas
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233 views5 pages

Constructing-a-Phylogeny

This document provides instructions for students to construct a phylogenetic tree of 14 imaginary species of caminalcules based on their characteristics. Students are asked to group the species into genera based on their resemblances, create a character table distinguishing each species, and draw a phylogenetic tree showing evolutionary relationships and using the information provided on shared ancestors between groups. The activity aims to teach students how to classify organisms and hypothesize evolutionary relationships through a fictional example with a fully known phylogeny.

Uploaded by

Luana Lima Freitas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Biological Science - BIOL 1362 recitation

Constructing a Phylogeny
The creatures pictured below are caminalcules, imaginary animals created by Dr. Joseph H. Camin
with a complete phylogeny of living and fossil species.

The fossil ancestor of all caminalcules. This extinct species is the ancestor of the 14 extant species.
It has eyes.

Fourteen extant species of caminalcules.

1. Define extant and extinct.

2. Examine the 14 species of caminalcules above. Arrange the species into genera using the
criterion that members of a genus should resemble each other more closely than they resemble
members of other genera.

A.O. Cheek, Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston


Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Introduction to Biological Science - BIOL 1362 recitation

3. Make a character table for the 14 species of caminalcules with a different row for each character and a different column for each
species.

Tip: It will be easier to fill in the table if you group similar species and genera in neighboring columns (e.g. Fig. 20.11 in Campbell in
Focus). Add any characters you think will be useful in distinguishing your clades.
Species

Body shape

Head shape

eyes
Front
appendages
Rear
appendage(s)

Coloration

A.O. Cheek, Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston Rev. 7/31/15
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Introduction to Biological Science - BIOL 1362 recitation

4. Construct a phylogenetic tree using your character table.


 The eyeless group of caminalcules should be the outgroup.
 Use the criterion that if 2 species are in the same genus, they share a common ancestor not shared by other genera. If there are 3
or more species in any of your genera, you must decide which 2 species in that genus are most closely related.

Additional information to consider:


The fossil ancestor shared by 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 16, 19, 20, 22, 24.

The fossil ancestor shared by 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 16, 22, and 24.

Draw the tree using a dichotomous branching pattern. Use the blank page to draw your phylogenetic hypothesis.

A.O. Cheek, Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston Rev. 7/31/15
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Introduction to Biological Science - BIOL 1362 recitation

Teaching Tips for Peer Mentors


Grouping into genera: Let students make an attempt before giving them any pointers. If students
are having trouble, have them look at the kinds of characters listed in the character table (item 3) to
get ideas about what to look for.

Character table. The cells should be filled with descriptions of the character state. This is not
intended to be a 0/1 table. Students should come up with their own descriptions of the characters.
For example, however they choose to describe the body shape of each group is fine. Encourage
them to abbreviate so that their descriptions will fit into the tiny boxes.

Drawing the phylogeny. Remind students that each branch can only have 2 arms. Encourage them
to start with species in a single genus and draw the branch pattern for a single genus, then they can
link backward to the common ancestor shared with another genus.

Because this is an imaginary group of organisms that was created to represent a completely known
phylogeny, there is a correct phylogenetic tree (shown in your answer key). Remind students that
phylogenetic trees of real organisms are always hypotheses of evolutionary relationships based on
morphology, biochemistry, developmental patterns, and DNA sequence data. As new information is
discovered about living organisms or previously unknown fossils are found, the phylogeny can
change to accommodate the new information.

Notes to Faculty
Reference
Gendron, R.P. 2000. The classification and evolution of caminalcules. The American Biology
Teacher 62:570-576.

A.O. Cheek, Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston


Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Introduction to Biological Science - BIOL 1362 recitation

20

19

22
12
73
2
24

16
1

14
13

28

A.O. Cheek, Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston Rev. 7/31/15
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

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