On a phylogenetic tree, a group of organisms that includes the common ancestor and all of its descendant species is said to be:
On a phylogenetic tree, a group of organisms that includes the common ancestor and all of its descendant species is said to be a monophyletic group or a clade
On a phylogenetic tree, a group of organisms that includes the common ancestor and all of its descendant species is said to be a monophyletic group or a clade.
A monophyletic group, also known as a clade or a lineage, is a group of organisms that share a common ancestor and all of its descendants. In other words, it represents an evolutionary lineage on the phylogenetic tree. To be considered a monophyletic group, a branch on the phylogenetic tree must include all the organisms that descended from a specific common ancestor, without excluding any of its descendant species.
This means that all the branching points and sub-branches within a clade represent the splitting and divergence of species from a single ancestral population. The concept of monophyly is crucial in understanding the evolutionary relationships among different organisms and their classification.
Monophyletic groups are often depicted on a phylogenetic tree by a shared branching point called a node. Each node on the tree represents a common ancestor, and the branches emanating from that node represent the descendant species. By analyzing the unique characteristics and genetic information of organisms within a monophyletic group, scientists can infer the relationships and evolutionary history of those species.
To summarize, a monophyletic group on a phylogenetic tree refers to a cluster of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all the species that have evolved from it. It represents a lineage or clade with a shared evolutionary history, and it helps scientists understand the relationships and patterns of evolution among different organisms.
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