Morphing Arachnids - Using Phylogenies for Time Travel

Each feature of the living species at the tips of a tree can be “mapped” onto the tree to determine where evolutionary changes likely occurred. Then, at each internal node, the features can be blended together to form an overall picture of the ancestral species.

 

On the left of the animation above is a phylogenetic tree of selected arachnids (such as spiders and scorpions); on the right is an animation showing what ancestral species may have looked like at different points in the tree.

 

Click here to learn more about arachnids and evolution in the Tree of Life!

 

Here is a closeup view of the tree from the animation above:

 

 

 

Click here to learn more about the Tree of Life!

 

 

 

 

 

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