Reconstructing vertebrate phylogenetic trees

Abstract

Within the last three decades, the methodology underlying vertebrate phylogenetic analysis, including the dating of speciation events, has grown from the use of morphological characters in living organisms and fossils to an increased emphasis on molecular phylogenetics. Here, we use a selected set of examples to give a brief survey of how these approaches have been used together to resolve some interesting and difficult questions regarding both lower‐ and higher‐level relationships of vertebrate species.

Teaching molecular phylogenetics through investigating a real-world phylogenetic problem

“…In addition to the references given by the instructor, students were required to perform a literature search and conduct a literature review in their reports. Figure 1 shows that the topology of the reconstructed tree with CFTR protein sequences is in general agreement with the currently accepted view of the organismal phylogeny of vertebrate species (Kumar and Filipski 2005). The tree displays the general patterns of relationships among fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals.…”