Hennigian systematics

Hennigian systematics, named after biologist Willi Hennig, is a method of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships. It focuses on identifying shared, derived characteristics (called synapomorphies) that indicate common ancestry. By analyzing these traits across different species, scientists can construct a branching "family tree" (cladogram) that reflects evolutionary history. This approach aims to group organisms into natural categories called clades, each representing a common ancestor and all its descendants, providing a clearer understanding of how species are related through evolution.