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paraphyletic

A Dictionary of Biology | 2004 | Copyright

paraphyletic In systematics, describing a group of organisms that excludes one or more descendants of a particular single common ancestor. For example, the taxonomic group `reptiles' used in evolutionary systematics is paraphyletic because it excludes birds and mammals, which share the same common ancestor as the reptiles. In cladistics such groups are regarded as invalid when constructing classification schemes, since cladists allow only monophyletic groups, or clades, as a basis for taxonomic groupings. However, in evolutionary systematics paraphyletic groups, or evolutionary grades, are sometimes permitted in order to reflect biological similarities. Thus `reptiles' is used as a group because its members are closely related to each other and they share certain essential characteristics, such as ectothermy (`cold-bloodedness'), that differ markedly from their fellow clade members, the birds and mammals. Compare polyphyletic.

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paraphyletic

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Copyright

paraphyletic Of a taxon, including some but not all descendants of the common ancestor (i.e. not holophyletic).

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-paraphyletic.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-paraphyletic.html

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paraphyletic

A Dictionary of Ecology | 2004 | | Copyright

paraphyletic Of a taxon, including some but not all descendants of the common ancestor (i.e. not holophyletic).

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-paraphyletic.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-paraphyletic.html

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paraphyletic

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

paraphyletic Of a taxon, including some but not all descendants of the common ancestor (i.e. not holophyletic).

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-paraphyletic.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-paraphyletic.html

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paraphyletic

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | Copyright

paraphyletic Of a taxon, including some but not all descendants of the common ancestor, i.e. not holophyletic.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-paraphyletic.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "paraphyletic." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-paraphyletic.html

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