A group containing an ancestor and all of its descendants, called a clade.
Test: cut one branch of the tree to isolate the group with the common ancestor and every descendant. Mammals are monophyletic. Monophyly is the goal of cladistic classification.
Monophyly can be tested on a tree. It is the main criterion for valid groups in cladistics.
Example: primates form a clade.
A group containing an ancestor and all of its descendants, called a clade.
Monophyletic Groups is one of the 52 topics in Taxonomy & Biodiversity. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic, Phylogenetic Classification, Shared Derived Characters.
Aves is monophyletic and nested within Dinosauria.
Work through the Beginner topics in Taxonomy & Biodiversity first, such as Taxonomy, Binomial Nomenclature, Taxonomic Hierarchy, then return to Monophyletic Groups. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Monophyletic Groups are Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic, Phylogenetic Classification, Shared Derived Characters, Kingdoms. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Monophyletic Groups. To practise the whole of Taxonomy & Biodiversity, use the Taxonomy & Biodiversity quiz.
Monophyletic Groups: A group containing an ancestor and all of its descendants, called a clade. Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic: Paraphyletic groups omit some descendants; polyphyletic groups lack the most recent common ancestor. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Taxonomy & Biodiversity quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Paraphyletic groups omit some descendants; polyphyletic groups lack the most recent common ancestor.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityGroups organisms by evolutionary relationships so that taxa reflect common ancestry.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityNovel traits inherited from a recent common ancestor that define a clade.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityMajor groups of eukaryotes: animals, plants, fungi and protists, plus prokaryotes.
🗂️ Taxonomy & Biodiversity