In figuring out the family tree of phylogenetic relationships within any group of organisms, features that are constant within that group or that are inherited from its last common ancestor are of no help. The only useful evidence comprises evolutionary novelties that have appeared within the group...
The character × taxon matrix supplies the data for constructing a phylogenetic tree or cladogram. For example, Figure 2.6 illustrates construction of the cladogram for the five species of the hypothetical genus Xid from the character × taxon matrix at Figure 2.6A,B. First, the OTUs are gro...
A method in which a model is used to evaluate phylogenetic trees such that the likelihood (probability of the data given the tree) is maximized. Monophyly A property of a group of taxa when the group contains a common ancestor and all of its descendants. ...