1. The diagram you produced on Page 4 of Cladistics:
OG E B A D C
-- black eye
-- long wing
-- wide neck
-- long leg
-- dark body
-- large eye
-- thick leg
-- wide body
The differences in the in-group are explained in 10 steps!
Comma separation at one step might be clearer!
-- wide wing
-- long stinger
Your cladogram uses numbered traits…
I am doing it this way for a reason…

2. This diagram is based on the same clade critter data…
But is not the result of cladistic analysis:
OG E B A D C
25 Steps!!
<-- black eye
<-- long leg
<-- dark body
<-- wide neck
<-- thick leg
<-- wide body
<-- long wing
<-- large eye
<-- wide wing
<-- long stinger
What concept was used to make this diagram?
Scientists reject this diagram because of parsimony…why?

3. This is likely your cladogram from Page 4 of Cladistics
OG E B A D C
-- black eye
-- long wing
-- wide neck
-- long leg
-- dark body
-- large eye
-- thick leg
-- wide body
-- wide wing
-- long stinger

4. What do we do with the newly-discovered Clade Critter (page 5)?
OG E B A D C
-- black eye
-- long wing
-- wide neck
-- long leg
-- dark body
-- large eye
-- thick leg
-- wide body F
-- wide wing
-- long stinger

5. Is it easier to evolve or to lose a characteristic?
There are two possible explanations—
which is most parsimonious?
OG F B A D C
-- dark
bodyR
-- black eye
dark --
body
-- long wing
Two
Forward
Evolutions
-- wide neck
-- dark bodyR
-- long leg
-- dark body
-- large eye
A homoplasy of
parallelism or…
convergence
-- thick leg
-- wide body
A single evolution
But two reversals
-- dark body F
-- wide wing
-- long stinger
Is it easier to evolve or to lose a characteristic?

6. Reversal Homoplasy
The Case of Tetrapods

7. Reptiles are a grade (are paraphyletic)
Vertebrate Clade
Homeothermy
(a homoplasy)
Homeotherms are polyphyletic
Reptiles are a grade (are paraphyletic)

8. Tetrapod limbs are complex
Ball joint at girdle (pectoral or pelvic)
Proximal segment has one heavy bone
Hinge joint at elbow or knee
Distal segment has two bones for rotation of hand/foot
Small cuboidal bones at wrist and ankle for flexibility of hand/foot position
Long metacarpal/metatarsals for palm/instep
Phalanges for the digits (fingers/toes)

9. Tetrapod limbs are stereotypical
The complex structures are shared among these tetrapods:
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Mammals
Conclusion: rather than evolving complex limb form and function separately and identically among all these groups of species (i.e., many homoplasies), the tetrapod leg design evolved just once in a common ancestor (i.e., more parsimonious)

10. Reversal of a complex trait is comparatively parsimonious
Forward evolution of a leg requires modification of:
Bones
Muscles
Connectives
Vascular Paths
Neural Paths
Reversal of a complex trait is comparatively parsimonious
Reversal could be just ONE point mutation in ONE gene that normally puts limb development into motion.
Without the first step, the rest does not happen.

11. Tetrapod evolution has been reversed multiple times!
Thus, it must be easily done… i.e. is parsimonious
Legless amphibians: caecilians
Legless lizards: glass lizards
Ajolote: mole lizards
Snakes
So some gene functioning early in tetrapod development can mutate (become defective), rendering some ancestral species (and its descendants) legless.
All the rest of the tetrapod genes that had evolved to make the limbs, are made useless by this one mutation.

12. terrestrial amphibians
Caecilians:
terrestrial amphibians

13. A photo of parent Caecilian with offspring
R635RmqosDI/AAAAAAAANYc/jwcNDv1suD4/flesh+eating+amphibian+caecilians%5B2%5D

14. http://www. unexplained-mysteries
This ajolote is a snake that reversed the reversal blocking only pectoral limbs (note: belly scale pattern and limb location)
Or it is a lizard that has lost only its pelvic limbs (reversal homoplasy)

15. There are also partial losses: the Boa has vestigial pelvic limbs
Of course the alternative interpretation is a partial reversal of loss

16. There are several clear examples of reversals of reversals:
This snake has reversed the reversal blocking pectoral limbs

17. This is another verified reversal of a reversal:
This snake has reversed the reversal blocking pelvic limbs

18. Of course humans will make false claims!
This claim of pectoral limbs is clearly false:
This snake is in the act of swallowing a frog, NOT sprouting legs!

19. Is dark body a complex characteristic?
There are two possible explanations—
which is most parsimonious?
OG F B A D C
-- dark
bodyR
-- black eye
dark --
body
-- long wing
Two
Forward
Evolutions
-- wide neck
-- dark bodyR
-- long leg
-- dark body
-- large eye
A homoplasy of
parallelism or…
convergence
-- heavy leg
-- wide body
A single evolution
But two reversals F
-- dark body
-- wide wing
-- long tail
Is dark body a complex characteristic?
Maybe one enzyme!