Last Universal Common Ancestor
- DNA as Genetic Storage
- Ester Bonds in Cell Membrane
Bacteria
-Presence of
Peptidoglycan in
Cell Wall
Escherichia coli
Common Ancestor of
Archaea & Eukarya
- Presence of Histones
Archaea
-Ether Bonds in
Cell Membranes
Methanobrevibacter smithii
Eukarya
- Membrane-Bound
Nucleus
- Membrane-Bound
Organelles
Archaeplastida (red algae,
green algae, land plants)
-Primary Plastids
Rhodophytes
(Red Algae, Photosynthetic
Pigment)
Common Ancestor of Chlorophytes,
Charophytes, and Land Plants
Chlorophytes
Common Ancestor of
Charophytes and Land Plants
Charophytes
Braun's Stonewort
(Chara Braunii)
Common Ancestor of
Land Plants
-Sporic Life Cycle
-Presence
of Embryo
-Desiccation Resistant
Spores
-Apical Meristems
-Gametangia
-Sporangia
Liverworts
Common Liverwort
(Marchantia polymorpha)
Common Ancestor
Mosses
Woolly Feather Moss
(Tomentypnum nitens)
Common Ancestor
Hornworts
Field Hornwort
(Anthoceros agretis)
Common Ancestor of
Seedless Vascular Plants
-Lignin
-Xylem and Phloem
-Dominant Sporophyte Generation
-Thick Waxy
Cuticle
-Stomata
Lycophytes
-microphylls
Fan Clubmoss
(Diphasiastrum
digitatum)
Common Ancestor of
Monilophytes, Gymnosperms,
and Angiosperms
-Megaphylls
Monilophytes
-megaphylls
Easter Marsh Fern
(Thelypteris palustris)
-Ovules
-Pollen
-Seeds
-Heterospory
-Wood
Angiosperms
-Fruit
-Endosperm
-Ovaries
-Flowers
Southern Magnolia
(Magnolia grandiflora)
White Water Lily
(Nymphae alba)
Gymnosperms
Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum)
Scott's Pine
(Pinus sylvertris)
Excavata
(unicellular, heterotrophic
flagellates, feeding groove)
Euglenoids (spiral
or crystalline rod
inside flagella)
Unikonta/
Amorphea
Amoebazoa
(Lobe or Tube
Shaped
Pseudopodia)
Slime Molds
Opisthokonta
(fungi, animals)
-Multicellularity
-Absorptive
Heterotrophy
Holomycota
Fungi
-Zygotic Life Cycle
- Chitin Cell
Wall
-Multicellularity
Black Bread Mold
(Rhizopus stolonifer)
Basidiomycota
Fly Agaric
(Amanita muscaria)
Common Ancestor of
Nucleariids and
Fonticula alba
Nucleariids
-Filose pseudopodia
-Mitochondria
-Heterotrophic
Nuclearia thermophila
Holozoa
Common Ancestor
Of Animals and
Choanoflagellates
-Mobility
Choanoflagellates
(Desmarella moniliformis)
-Heterotrophic
-Characterized by collar
-Flagellated
Animals (Metazoa)
770 MYA
-Gametic
Life Cycle
-MultiCellularity
-Mobility
Eumetazoa
-Tissues
-680 MYA
Common Ancestor
of Bilateria and
Cnidaria
Bilateria
-670 MYA
-Bilateral Symmetry
-Triploblasty
-Cephalization (except
some mollusca, Echinoderms
Common Ancestor of
Deuterostomia and
Protostomes
-Triploblasty
Protostomes
-Blastopore
becomes the mouth
-Spiral and determinate
Cleavage
Ecdysozoa
-Ecdysis
Nematoda
(Round Worms)
Roundworm
(Caenorhabditis
elegans)
Arthropoda
(Crustaceans, Insects,
Spiders)
-80% of All Animals
-Hinged Exoskeleton
Chelicerata
-8 Legs
-Spiders, Scorpions,
Mites, Ticks
-Book Lungs
-Two Segments
Southern Black Widow
(Latrodectus mactans)
Common Ancestor
of Hexapoda and
Crustacea
Hexapoda
-Insects
-6 Legs
-Three Segments
-Trachae and Air Sacs
Monarch butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Crustacea
-Cephalization
-Gills
Chesapeake Blue Crab
(Callinectes sapidus)
Lophotrochozoa
-Trochophore Larvae
and Lophophore
Platyhelminthes
(Flatworms)
-Lophophore
Rhabditophorans
-Free Living
-Predators n Scavengers
Pseudobiceros sp
Sheep Liver Fluke
(Fasciola hepatica)
Common Ancestor
of Trematodes and
Cestoda
Trematodes
-Parasites
Cestoda
-Tapeworms
-Parasitic
Pork Tapeworm
(Taenia solium)
Common Ancestor
of Mollusca and
Annelida
Mollusca
(Gastropods,
cephalopods,
bivalvia)
-Soft Body sometimes
with Shell Secreted from Mantle
-Trochophore Larvae
Bivalvia
-2 Valves hinged
dorsally
-Filter Feeder
-No Head
Soft Shell Clam
(Mya arenaria)
Common Ancestor
of Gastropoda and
Cephalopoda
Gastropoda
-Snails and
Slugs
-Radula to feed
-Filter Feeder
-Gill for feeding and
gas Exchange
Golden Apple Snail
(Pomacea canaliculata)
Cephalopoda
-Squid, Octopus,
Cuttlefish, Nautilus
-Shell reduced
-Cephalization
-Head - Foot (tentacle)
-Closed Circulatory System
Humboldt squid
(Dosidicus gigas)
Polyplacophora
Chitons
Strong foot attach
to Rocks
Annelida
(Segmented Worms)
-Trochophore Larvae
Sedentaria
-Reduced Setae
-Sedentary
Common Earthworm
(Lumbricus terrestris)
Errantia
-Long Setae
-Mobile Predators
Ectoprocta
Rotifer
-Pseudocoelemate
-Wheel-Like Cilliated
Corona used to move food
towards mouth for feeding
Brachiopoda
-Like a snail w/ a shell
-Lophophore inside shell
used to filter feed
Deuterostomia
-Blastopore
becomes the anus
-Radial and
indeterminate cleavage
Ambulacraria
Hemichordata
Echinodermata (Starfish,
Sea Urchin, Cucumbers)
-Water Vascular System
(exception to bilateral
symmetry as adults)
-Pentaradial Symmetry
-Spiny Skin
Common Ancestor
of Echinoidea and
Holothuroidea
Echinoidea
-Sea Urchin
and Sand Dollar
-No Arms
-Spine and Tube Feet
-Herbivores
Holothuroidea
-Sea Cucumber
-Elongated
-Lack Spine
-Endoskeleton Reduced
- Tiny Rows of Tube Feet
-Filter Feed
California sea cucumber
(Apostichopus californicus
Common Ancestor
of Asteroidea
and Ophiuroidea
Asteroidea
-Sea Stars
-Water Tube
Feet Locomotion
Giant Sea Star
(Pisaster giganteus)
Ophiuroidea
-Brittle Stars
-Tube Feet High Reduced
-Long Arms for Locomotion
Serpent Star
(Ophiura ophiura)
Chordata
-Notochord, Hollow
Dorsal Nerve
Cord, Pharyngeal Slits,
Post Anal Tail
Cephalochordates
-Lancelets
-Has the 5
Synamorphies
Branchiostoma lanceolatum
Common Ancestor of
Urochordata (tunicates)
and Vertebrates
Tunicata/ Urochordate
-Reproduce by Budding
-Colonial or Solitary
-Benthic and Pelagic
-Complete Digestive System
-Heart and Stomach
Sea Squirt (Polycarpa aurata)
Vertebrates
Common Ancestor of
Agnathans
Gnathostomes, Osteichthyans,
Lobe Fish,
Tetrapods, , Amniotes.
-Vertebrae
-Vertebral Column
-Cranium
-Endoskeleton
-Complex Internal Organs
Agnathans (Lamphreys
Hagfish)
Cyclostomes
-No Jaws
-No Paired Lateral Fins
-Reduced Vertebrae
-Cartilage Skeleton
Myxini
(Hagfish)
Pacific hagfish
(Eptatretus stoutii)
Petromyzontida
(Lampreys)
Common Ancestor of
Gnathostomes,
Osteichthyans,
Lobe-Fins,
Tetrapods, Amniotes
-Jaws, Mineralized
Skeleton
-Paired Fins
Chondrichthyes
(Sharks, Rays,
Chimaeras)
-Cartilaginous
Skeleton
Great White Shark
(Carcharodon carcharias)
Common Ancestor of
Osteichthyans, Lobe-Fins,
Tetrapods, Amniotes
-Lungs or Lung Derivatives
-Swim Bladder
-Bony Skeleton
-Opperculum
Actinopterygii
(Ray-Finned Fishes)
Blue Tang "Dory"
(Paracanthurus hepatus)
Common Ancestor of
Lobe-Fins, Tetrapods,
Amniotes
-Lobed Fins
Actinistia
(Coelacanths,
Lobbed-Fin Fishes)
Coelacanth
(Latimeria chalumnae)
Common Ancestor of
Lobe-Fins, Tetrapods,
Amniotes
Dipnoi
(Lungfishes)
Leopard lungfish
(Protopterus aethiopicus)
Common Ancestor
of Tetrapods and
Amniotes
-Limbs with Digits
-3 and 4 Chambered Hearts
-Double Circulation
Amphibia
(Frogs, salamanders)
Red Eyed Tree Frog
(Agalychnis callidryas)
Common Ancestor
of Amniotes
-Amniotic Egg
Diapsids
Reptilia
(Turtles, snakes,
Crocodiles, birds)
-3 or 4 Chamber Hearts
Lapidosaurs
(Snakes and Lizards)
Green anole
(Anolis carolinensis)
Common Ancestor
Of Turtles and
Archosaurs
Archosaurs
Common Ancestor of
Pterosaurs, Dinosaurs,
and Saurischians
Common Ancestor
Birds
-Endothermy
-4 Chamber Hearts
Roseate spoonbill
(Platalea ajaja)
Pterosaurs
Crocodilians
-4 Chambered Hearts
American alligator
(Alligator mississippiensis)
Turtles
Green Sea Turtle
(Chelonia mydas)
Synapsids
Mammalia
(Mammals)
-Milk
-Endothermy
-Hair
-4 Chamber Heart
American Black Bear
(Ursus americanus)
Monotreme
-Platypus lay eggs
Acoela
-Early Cephalization
-Early Triploblasty
Radiata
Cnidaria (jellyfish,
corals, sea anemones,
and hydra)
-Diploblasty
-Radial Symmetry
-Cnidocytes
Anthozoa
-Dominant
Polyp Stage
Elkhorn coral
(Acropora palmata)
Common Ancestor
of Scyphozoa and
Hydrozoa
Scyphozoa
-Dominant
Medusa Stage
Moon Jelly
(Aurelia aurita)
Hydrozoa
-Alternate between
Medusa and Polyp
Stages
Pennaria disticha
Radiata
Ctenophora
(Comb Jellies)
-Arguments about
diploblasty or
triploblasty
Parazoa
Porifera
(Basal Taxa)
-No Tissues
-No Symmetry
-Choanocytes
-Specialized Tissue
Giant Barrel Sponge
(Xestospongia muta)
S A R
Common Ancestor
(Secondary Plastids)
Alveolata (Membranous
Vesicles on Cell Wall)
Dinoflagellate
Stramenopile
(Heterokonts)
-Tripartite Flagellar
Hairs, smooth and hairy
flagella)
Diatoms
Brown Algae
Giant Kelp
(Macrocystic pyrifera
brown algae)
Oomecytes
(Water Moulds)
Rhizeria (Amoebas With
Thread-Like Pseudopodia)
Foraminifera
Radiolaria