Making a Cladogram

Methods to constructing a cladogram:

Choose the taxa
Determine the characters
Determine the outgroup
Group taxa by synapomorphies
Work out conflicts by using the principle of parsimony

Example:

A table organises characters: "x" meaning that tait is present in the taxa

Animated lesson and video for constructing cladograms: Click here!!

Using Venn diagram Start by putting the character that is shared by all the taxa on the outside. Inside each box, write the taxa that have only that set of characters.

Convert the Venn diagram into a cladogram like so

This example is adapted from ENSI/SENSI lesson plan: Making Cladograms http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/home.html)