Cladistics

Pronunciation
/kla-dih-tikss/
Category
Taxonomy
Singular
Cladistics
Plural
Cladistics

Definition

A phylogenetic system that groups organisms based on shared, derived characteristics (synapomorphies) and uses these to reconstruct evolutionary relationships.

Etymology

From Greek 'klados', meaning 'branch' or 'twig', and the suffix '-istics', relating to the study of.

Example

Cladistics is used to determine the evolutionary relationships between different groups of organisms, such as insects.

Related Terms

Usage Notes

Cladistics relies on the principle of parsimony, which states that the simplest explanation is usually the most likely.