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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Monophyletic Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic?

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The terms monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic are used in the classification of organisms to describe the evolutionary relationships between them. They are based on the concept of a taxon, which is a group of organisms that share a common ancestor. The key differences between these terms are as follows:

  • Monophyletic: A monophyletic group, also known as a clade, consists of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. In other words, a monophyletic group includes all the organisms that descended from a single common ancestor. Monophyletic groups are defined by shared derived characteristics that are unique to the group.
  • Paraphyletic: A paraphyletic group includes a common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants. This means that the group consists of a common ancestor and a subset of its descendants, but not all the descendants are included in the group.
  • Polyphyletic: A polyphyletic group is composed of organisms that do not share a recent common ancestor. Instead, these organisms have converged on a similar characteristic or trait, but they do not share a common ancestor that would group them together via monophyletic or paraphyletic relationships.

In summary:

  • Monophyletic groups include all descendants of a single common ancestor.
  • Paraphyletic groups include some, but not all, descendants of a common ancestor.
  • Polyphyletic groups consist of organisms that do not share a recent common ancestor but have converged on a similar characteristic.
On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Monophyletic Paraphyletic and Polyphyletic?
  • Comparative Table: Monophyletic Paraphyletic vs Polyphyletic

    • Comparative Table: Monophyletic Paraphyletic vs Polyphyletic

    Here is a table that compares the differences between monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic groups:

    Characteristic Monophyletic Paraphyletic Polyphyletic
    Definition A group that consists of the most recent common ancestor and all of its descendants. A group that consists of the most recent common ancestor and some of its descendants. A group that consists of unrelated organisms that are descended from more than one ancestor.
    Ancestry Includes all descendants of a common ancestor. Includes some, but not all, descendants of a common ancestor. Organisms are descended from multiple ancestors.
    Evolutionary History Represents a complete and unique evolutionary history. Represents an incomplete evolutionary history, as it excludes some descendants of the common ancestor. Does not represent a true evolutionary history, as organisms have converged on similar characteristics independently.
    Taxonomic Classification Monophyletic groups are the only taxonomically and systematically viable ones, as they represent evolutionary history. Paraphyletic groups are not as taxonomically viable, as they do not include all descendants of the common ancestor. Polyphyletic groups are not taxonomically viable, as they do not represent a true evolutionary history.

    All three terms are used to define taxa of organisms and describe the relationship between different organisms based on their evolutionary history.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.