Lineage (evolution)

An evolutionary lineage (also called a clade) is composed of species, taxa, or individuals that are related by descent from a common ancestor. Lineages are subsets of the evolutionary tree of life. The concept of an evolutionary lineage is grounded in the science of cladistics. Lineages are often determined by the techniques of molecular systematics. A lineage can be distinguished from a mere collection of species by the fact that it contains only and all individuals that share a common ancestor.

Related Topics:
Clade - Species - Taxa - Tree of life - Molecular systematics

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