From Sequence Comparison to Evolutionary Insight

• DNA sequence comparison augments and sometimes clarifies anatomical comparison.
• Phylogenetic trees, which explain relatedness, can be generated using DNA sequence alignments.
• With increased amounts of sequence data, we have more confidence than ever in the phylogenetic trees that can be generated.

Phylogenetic trees of living species can be built using DNA sequence data.

The image is a phylogenetic tree depicting the evolutionary relationships among camels, pigs, ruminantia, hippos, and whales. Whales in the tree are most closely related to hippos.