This new edition of a foundational text presents a contemporary review of cladistics, as applied to biological classification. It provides a comprehensive account of the past fifty years of discussion on the relationship between classification, phylogeny and evolution. It covers cladistics in the era of molecular data, detailing new advances and ideas that have emerged over the last twenty-five years. Written in an accessible style by internationally renowned authors in the field, readers are straightforwardly guided through fundamental principles and terminology. Simple worked examples and easy-to-understand diagrams also help readers navigate complex problems that have perplexed scientists for centuries. This practical guide is an essential addition for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers in taxonomy, systematics, comparative biology, evolutionary biology and molecular biology.

Systematics underpins all of biology. Cladistics is a method of systematic classification that aims to reconstruct genealogies based on common ancestry, thus revealing the phylogenetic relationships between taxa. Its applications vary from linguistic analysis to the study of conservation and biodiversity, and it has become a method of choice for comparative studies in all fields of biology. For all students interested in the systematic relationships among organisms, this book provides an integrated, state-of-the-art account of the techniques and methods of modern cladistics, and how to put them into practice.

Cladistics is the method of choice for systematic classification and comparative studies in all fields of biology. In cladistics, reconstructed genealogies are based on common ancestry rather than on simple anatomical similarity and therefore effectively reveal true phylogenetic relationships. This book is an introduction to cladistics and is based on the popular training course originally offered by the Systematics Association. The book first introduces the principle of parsimony and methods for character coding and the determination of character polarity. Methods of cladistic tree-building follow and tree statistics are detailed. Alternatives to parsimony, molecular applications of cladistics, and the relevance of fossils are then discussed. The concluding chapters review two important topics in cladistics: cladistic biogeography and the implementation of cladistic results in systematics. This book provides an up-to-date account of the techniques of modern cladistics, written in a clear, readable style. It will be an invaluable text for all students interested in systematics and comparative studies.

Comparative biology: space, time, and form; Systematic history: kinds of branching diagrams; Systematic patterns: component analysis; Systematic results: classification; Ontogeny, phylogeny, paleontology and the biogenetic law; Biogeographic history: kinds of questions; Biogeographic pattens: component analysis; Biogeographic results: regions.

"This multifarious volume does a splendid job of reflecting the breadth and depth of fundamental questions about the methods of systematics and biogeography, from the practical applications of conservation biology to issues of wide interest to evolutionary biologists."--Dr. Norman I. Platnick, American Museum of Natural History "A fun and informative volume that everyone interested in the subject will enjoy. This book is full of important discussions on Botany, Cladistics, and Biogeography."--Vicki Funk, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution "The Branching Of A Paradigm is the intriguing theme of this volume on the myriad of ways cladistics has impacted modern biology. Surprises from floristics to recent thoughts on epistemology await the reader."--Dennis Stevenson, New York Botanical Garden

A complete course on cladistic techniques for students of palaeontology and biological systematics.

This new edition of a foundational text presents a contemporary review of cladistics, as applied to biological classification. It provides a comprehensive account of the past fifty years of discussion on the relationship between classification, phylogeny and evolution. It covers cladistics in the era of molecular data, detailing new advances and ideas that have emerged over the last twenty-five years. Written in an accessible style by internationally renowned authors in the field, readers are straightforwardly guided through fundamental principles and terminology. Simple worked examples and easy-to-understand diagrams also help readers navigate complex problems that have perplexed scientists for centuries. This practical guide is an essential addition for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers in taxonomy, systematics, comparative biology, evolutionary biology and molecular biology.