Build cladograms by aligning DNA, RNA or protein sequences. Computer analysis infers trees that best explain sequence similarities; parsimony favours the tree requiring the fewest evolutionary changes.
International agreement limits the hunting of whales. Only the meat of the Minke, Fin and Humpback whales from Southern Hemisphere populations is allowed to be sold on the domestic market in Japan. Scientists obtained five samples of food that were being sold as "whale meat" in a Japanese market place. They identified the species and probable geographic origin of the meat using genetic analysis. The results were used to construct the cladogram.
Explain how sequence alignment software might have been used in this study.