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phylogenetic tree
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greylag. Flock of Greylag geese during their winter migration at Bosque del Apache National Refugee, New Mexico. greylag goose (Anser anser)
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Also called:
Dendrogram
Related Topics:
phylogeny
How Do You Read Phylogenetic Trees?
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phylogenetic tree

biology
Also known as: dendrogram
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phylogenetic tree, a diagram showing the evolutionary interrelations of a group of organisms derived from a common ancestral form. The ancestor is in the tree “trunk”; organisms that have arisen from it are placed at the ends of tree “branches.” The distance of one group from the other groups indicates the degree of relationship; i.e., closely related groups are located on branches close to one another. Phylogenetic trees, although speculative, provide a convenient method for studying phylogenetic relationships.