Final answer:
The purpose of a cladograms worksheet is to study evolutionary relationships between species. Cladograms depict how organisms are related through common ancestors, visually representing their evolutionary history. This method is central to understanding the place of species like iguanas within the tree of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of making a cladogram worksheet that includes an example like an iguana is to study the evolutionary relationships between different species. A cladogram is a graphical representation that showcases how different organisms are related to each other through shared common ancestors. The main goal is not to focus specifically on iguanas' physical characteristics, habitat, or behavior, but to understand how iguanas, along with other organisms, fit into a larger evolutionary framework.
Cladograms and phylogenetic trees allow us to visualize and test hypotheses regarding the evolutionary history of life. By examining derived characteristics that have appeared in certain lineages but not others, such as the presence of feathers in birds as a derived trait from reptiles, we can understand how groups of organisms, such as mammals, birds, and reptiles, are related and how they have evolved over time. These tools are powerful ways to pose scientific questions about the relatedness and evolutionary history of different organisms.
For instance, reptiles and birds are placed in the same clade because birds are considered to have evolved from a group of dinosaurs, which are a part of the reptilian branch. When drawing a phylogenetic tree to show relationships between dogs, wolves, and cats, we find that dogs and wolves cluster together on one branch, indicating a closer evolutionary relationship, while cats are placed on a separate branch.