What is monophyletic?

Monophyletic refers to a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants. In other words, a monophyletic group consists of all the organisms that share a single common ancestor and no other organisms. This term is often used in the context of evolutionary biology and phylogenetics to describe a specific type of taxonomic group.

Monophyletic refers to a group of organisms that consists of an ancestor and all its descendants, forming a single, cohesive branch on the tree of life. It means that all members of the group share a common ancestry and are more closely related to each other than they are to any other organisms outside the group. Monophyletic groups are important in evolutionary biology as they represent natural units of classification that reflect true evolutionary relationships.