Using what you have learned about the skull structures and evolutionary relationships drag and drop the saber-toothed cat and mountain lion into the positions where you think they belong on the cladogram.

Question

Remember, species that are more closely related to each other will branch closer together.

(1 point)

Answer 1

To accurately position the saber-toothed cat and the mountain lion on a cladogram, you'll need to consider their evolutionary relationships and the traits they share.

The saber-toothed cat (often referred to as Smilodon) is part of the subfamily Machairodontinae, which is quite distinct and represents a lineage of felids that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. They are known for their long, curved canine teeth and robust build.

On the other hand, the mountain lion, or cougar (Puma concolor), is a member of the subfamily Felinae. This group includes modern cats, which are generally smaller and have different hunting adaptations compared to the saber-toothed cats.

When constructing the cladogram:

1. Place the mountain lion on a branch closer to modern cats because it is a direct descendant of those lineages.
2. Position the saber-toothed cat in a separate branch that diverges earlier from the common ancestor of modern cats.

In summary, the mountain lion should be placed closer to the common ancestor of modern felids, while the saber-toothed cat should branch off earlier, indicating that it is less closely related to modern cats than the mountain lion.