A chart showing inheritance of traits is called a

• A. Family tree
• B. Pedigree
• C. Phylogeny
• D. Cladogram

Answer: (B)

A pedigree is a chart that shows how traits are inherited across generations in a family. It uses standard symbols—squares for males, circles for females, and shading to indicate who has the trait—and connects parents to their offspring to reveal patterns of inheritance over time. By examining which generations are affected and whether males or females are more often affected, you can infer whether a trait is likely autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked, and whether it tends to skip generations or appear in every generation. This focuses on how traits pass from one generation to the next within a family, which distinguishes it from a family tree (which maps relationships) or a phylogeny/cladogram (which depict evolutionary relationships among species).