A diagram used to track hereditary patterns across generations is called a

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

Answer: (D)

Pedigree diagrams track how traits are inherited through generations. They use standard symbols—squares for males, circles for females, and shading to show affected individuals—with a horizontal line for mating and vertical lines dropping to children, so you can see how traits pass down from one generation to the next. This format makes inheritance patterns clear, such as whether a trait appears in every generation (often autosomal dominant), skips generations (often autosomal recessive), or is transmitted differently between sexes (such as X-linked traits). A family tree shows genealogical relationships but isn’t focused on inheritance patterns. Phylogeny and cladograms represent evolutionary relationships among species, not how traits are passed within a family.