Cladistics operates by grouping organisms together based on______________.

a. whether or not they share unique characteristics with some species that are not present in others.
b. identifying differences in mutation rates.
c. determining which shared traits are homologous, and disregarding any traits that are analogous.
d. identifying convergent evolution of traits through genetic analyses e. observing speciation events

This is a method of biology classification in which organisms are placed in groups (called clades) according to the most recent common ancestor. The classification is based principally on the shared derived characteristics ( called SYNAPOMPORPHIES);that can be associated with the most recent common ancestor.Therefore the ancestor and all the descendants are all inclusive in the clade, and desired the traits should not present in more distant groups and ancestors.

if for example, within a strict cladistic framework the terms animals, bilateria/worms, fishes/vertebrata, or monkeys/anthropoidea were used, these terms would include humans.

Based on evidence of evolution the organisms above shared common ancestor, and derived shared characteristics for evolutionary trends which can provide evidences for their classification into their clades