Phylogeny

Pronunciation
/fie-LO-juh-nee/
Category
Taxonomy
Singular
Phylogeny
Plural
Phylogenies

Definition

The evolutionary history of a group of organisms, represented as a branching diagram showing their relatedness.

Etymology

From Greek 'phylon', meaning 'tribe' or 'race', and 'genesis', meaning 'origin'.

Example

The phylogeny of butterflies reveals the evolutionary relationships between different families and species.

Related Terms