Question

Cladograms are useful tools for understanding evolutionary relationships between species.



Based on the cladogram above, which two species are most closely related?

species E and D

species C and B

None of the species are closely related.

species D and C

Answer 1

I can’t see the cladogram you mean — could you re-upload it or describe which species branch where?

How to tell which two are most closely related:
- Find the pair of species that meet at the most recent (nearest) node with no other species branching from that same node. Those two are sister taxa and are the most closely related.
- Equivalently, they have the fewest branching events between them.

If you upload the image or describe the branching (which species join at each node), I’ll pick the correct pair.