cladogram

[klad-uh-gram, kley-duh-]

noun

Biology.

1. a branching diagram depicting the successive points of species divergence from common ancestral lines without regard to the degree of deviation.

cladogram

/ ˈkleɪdəʊˌɡræm /

noun

1. biology a treelike diagram illustrating the development of a clade See clade

cladogram

1. A branching treelike diagram used to illustrate evolutionary (phylogenetic) relationships among organisms. Each node, or point of divergence, has two branching lines of descendance, indicating evolutionary divergence from a common ancestor. The endpoints of the tree represent individual species, and any node together with its descendant branches and subbranches constitutes a clade.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cladogram¹

First recorded in 1965–70; clado- + -gram ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cladogram¹

C20: from _clade + _-o- + _-gram

Example Sentences

For a different cladogram, based on fossil rather than genetic evidence, shows that one group of dinosaurs not only survived the impact but, with almost 10,000 living species, has outperformed both frogs and mammals.

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We’re talking about moving an animal something like two, three or four nodes on the cladogram – not a big deal at all.

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The highly simplified cladogram below depicts the relationships among most of the major iguanian groups.

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Until there, here’s a highly simplified cladogram to whet your appetite.

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Highly simplified cladogram showing one phylogenetic hypothesis proposed for crocodiles.

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