Defend why synapomorphy constitutes te best evidence for monophyly and why monophyletic groups are the only...

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Biology

Defend why synapomorphy constitutes te best evidence formonophyly and why monophyletic groups are the only groups thatshould be represented in a classification system. Use an example ofa well known group name that has been rendered non-monophyletic viaphylogenetic classification methods.

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Having covered the basics oftaxonomy and how to read phylogenetic trees it is long past thetime I should have dealt with the concept of monophyly and itsugly sisters paraphyly and polyphyly While the terms might beunfamiliar the concepts behind them are simple and practical and Isuspect at least a few readers will actually know them even if theycouldnt actually say what they were so to speak The three termsall describe different ways of grouping taxa together and are mosteasily demonstrated on a phylogentic tree though they dont needone as suchMonophyletic groups and lineages arethe fundamental basis of taxonomy and evolution as a whole reallyEverything within a monophyletic group is the descendent of asingle common ancestor and thus are the clades we typically talkabout in biology and palaeontology Here the clade comprising taxaA B C and D is monophyletic Everything that descends from theancestral lineage or organism that existed at See Answer

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