Hennigian phylogenetics

Hennigian phylogenetics is a method used to determine evolutionary relationships by analyzing shared features among species. It emphasizes identifying the most recent common ancestors and their descendants, focusing on traits that are inherited from ancestors (called synapomorphies). By comparing these shared characteristics across different groups, scientists construct a "family tree"—called a phylogeny—that reflects how species are related through evolution. This approach helps distinguish true relatedness from similarities that arose independently, ensuring the resulting tree accurately depicts the evolutionary history of the organisms involved.