The cladistic approach to estimating phylogenetic trees is most like the approach of which species concept?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cladistic approach to estimating phylogenetic trees is based on the concept of monophyly, which is also the core concept of the phylogenetic species concept. This concept states that a species is a group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all of its descendants, and is defined based on the unique combination of characters that distinguish it from all other groups. In the same way, cladistic analysis involves identifying shared derived traits (synapomorphies) that are unique to each monophyletic group, and using these traits to construct a branching diagram that illustrates the evolutionary relationships among these groups. Therefore, the cladistic approach is most similar to the phylogenetic species concept, which also emphasizes the importance of identifying and characterizing the unique traits that define each species.

The Cladistic Approach to Estimating Phylogenetic Trees Is Most Like