That is, the human genome is very very similar to chimpanzees; slightly less similar to gorillas; down a bit more to orangutans; and so forth. So we know that chimps are our closest relatives, followed by the others in order.
If you sequence the genome of a mystery animal and find that its closest match is the elephant, that's a good indication that they're related. You'd have to follow it up with things like anatomical studies and so forth, but it's a pretty reliable place to start.
Despite all the propaganda put out by the geneticists, we use mostly morphology, although any source of information is useful. You have to be able to differentiate the superficial resemblances (convergent evolution) from the useful ones. A lot of molecular biologists couldn't tell parsley from an elephant without examining the DNA.
DNA. Before DNA they grouped by morphology but it's sometimes misleading.
Recently scientists discovered a certain type of mouse that is believed to be related to elephants.
A tapir has a nose that is very much like a rudimentary trunk but ( as far as I know) is said to be related to the horse.
How is it determined which animal is "related" to which one ?
Is evoloution taken into account?
Are characteristics?
etc?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2671177/Meet-tiny-mouse-like-creature-TRUNK-New-species-closely-related-elephant-shrew.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapir
