Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A phylogenetic tree is a diagram that represents the evolutionary relationships among various species or other entities that are believed to have a common ancestor.
Related terms
Cladogram: A type of phylogenetic tree that only shows relative relationships between species, not time or amount of change.
Branches: In a phylogenetic tree, branches represent populations through time.
Root: The root of the phylogenetic tree represents the most recent common ancestor of all entities on the tree.