Phylogenetic groups: *A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/monophyletic" class="extiw" title="w:monophyletic">monophyletic</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/taxon" class="extiw" title="w:taxon">taxon</a> contains a common <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ancestor" class="extiw" title="w:ancestor">ancestor</a> and all of its descendants. ** <i>Diagram: in yellow, <span style="background-color:#fffc00; padding: 2px">the group of "reptiles and birds"</span></i> *A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/paraphyletic" class="extiw" title="w:paraphyletic">paraphyletic</a> taxon contains its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/most_recent_common_ancestor" class="extiw" title="w:most recent common ancestor">most recent common ancestor</a>, but does not contain <i>all</i> the descendants of that ancestor. ** <i>Diagram: in cyan, <span style="background-color:#00efff; padding: 2px">the reptiles</span></i> *A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/polyphyletic" class="extiw" title="w:polyphyletic">polyphyletic</a> taxon does not contain the most recent common ancestor of all its members. ** <i>Diagram: in red, <span style="background-color:#ff0202; padding: 2px">the group of "all warm-blooded animals"</span></i>
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Peter_coxhead" title="User:Peter coxhead">Peter coxhead</a>
2010-12-07
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phylogenetic-Groups.svg" title="File:Phylogenetic-Groups.svg">Phylogenetic-Groups.svg</a> <i>by</i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:TotoBaggins" class="extiw" title="en:User:TotoBaggins">TotoBaggins</a>