Glossary

plesiomorphy

In cladistics, a character or trait shared by two or more taxonomic groups but derived from a remote or much earlier common ancestral form and therefore cannot be used to define a clade. Also known as an ancestral state and generally appears at the base level of a cladogram.

Used in 2 species profiles

Related terms

clade
A group of organisms sharing homologous features, believed to have evolved from a common ancestor following the principles of cladistics; a monophyletic group; a grouping hypothesised on the basis of phylogenetic information.
cladistics
Taxonomical method used to classify species of organisms into clades, each of which contains an ancestor organism and all its descendants, based on synapomorphies (shared derived characters). Cladistic classifications are usually presented in the form of a cladogram.
cladogram
Branching, tree-like diagram used in cladistics to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Used to depict phylogenetic relationships and show points at which species diverged from their common ancestral forms.
derived
Used in phylogenetics in reference to a character or character state not present in the ancestral form of a species; apomorphic.
taxonomic
Of or relating to taxonomy.
trait
Genetically determined characteristic or condition; distinguishing feature.

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