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Evolutionary inferences from non‐monophyly on molecular trees
Author(s) -
Zander Richard H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.1002/tax.574011
Subject(s) - monophyly , paraphyly , biology , polyphyly , synapomorphy , evolutionary biology , taxon , macroevolution , phylogenetic tree , zoology , clade , ecology , genetics , gene
Abstract Traditional taxa that are non‐monophyletic (paraphyletic or polyphyletic) on a molecular phylogenetic tree may be interpreted as surviving ancestors that are evolutionarily static in expressed traits but accumulating DNA changes used to track genetic continuity. In cases in which re‐evolution (convergence) of such taxa is deemed improbable, non‐monophyly may be used to infer evolutionary trees of virtual fossils reflecting macroevolution. A taxon tree or Besseyan cactus of the family Pottiaceae (Bryophyta) is presented as an example. Non‐monophyly may be evolutionarily informative at the taxon level in the same way synapomorphies are phylogenetically informative at the molecular trait level.