Ms. Haider's Virtual Zoo 

Cladogram: a branching diagram showing the evolutionary relationship between a number of species.

 

Analysis of Branching:

 

Fish branched off from members of the chordate family that have a notocord that does not develop into a back bone, tunicates and lancelets. Fish do have a notocord that develops into a backbone. Like many of the organisms in the previous phyla of the Animal Kindgom, fish live their entire life in water. Amphibians were the next class of organisms to diverge. Amphibians spend part of their life in water and part of their life on land. They are born in water from eggs that have soft coverings and experience metamorphosis, or change in body structure as they grow. Amphibians are cold blooded and have a three-chambered heart. Reptiles are the class that diverged next. They are cold blooded as well and have waterproof skin covered in scales, although they live their life on land. They have a three-chambered heart just as amphibians but have more leathery shells on the egges they lay. Birds are the class that diverged next. Birds are warm blooded unlike reptiles as well as have a more advanced circulatory system with a four-chambered heart. Their eggs have hard, water proof shells. Finally, mammals diverge with a great deal of adaptations for life on Earth. They have fur and mammary glands to feed their young. They have a complete digestive and nervous system along with a four-chambered heart. Mammals are Warm blooded and able to regulate a stable internal temperature.