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Cladistics definitions

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  • Cladistics
    Classification method focusing on grouping organisms by shared ancestry as depicted on a phylogenetic tree.
  • Phylogenetic Tree
    Diagram illustrating evolutionary relationships among organisms, showing common ancestry and divergence.
  • Monophyletic Group
    Set including an ancestor and all its descendants, forming a single complete branch on a phylogenetic tree.
  • Clade
    Branch on a phylogenetic tree representing an ancestor and all its descendants; equivalent to a monophyletic group.
  • Paraphyletic Group
    Set including an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants, leaving out at least one lineage.
  • Polyphyletic Group
    Set composed of organisms lacking their most recent common ancestor, often grouped by analogous traits.
  • Systematics
    Scientific discipline concerned with naming and classifying organisms based on evolutionary relationships.
  • Analogous Trait
    Characteristic shared by different groups due to convergent evolution, not inherited from a common ancestor.
  • Common Ancestor
    Organism from which multiple lineages descend, serving as a reference point for group classification.
  • Sauropsida
    Monophyletic group including turtles, lizards, birds, and crocodiles, united by descent from a shared ancestor.
  • Reptiles
    Paraphyletic group traditionally including turtles, lizards, and crocodiles, but excluding birds.
  • Descendant
    Organism or group arising from a specific ancestor, forming part of a lineage on a phylogenetic tree.
  • Branch
    Line on a phylogenetic tree representing evolutionary divergence from a common ancestor.
  • Taxon
    Named group of organisms at any rank, such as species, genus, or family, used in classification.