Difference between revisions of "Taxon"
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Do note that rank is relative, and restricted to the particular scheme used. For example, [[liverworts]] have been grouped, in various systems of classification, as a family, order, or a class. The use of ranks is challenged by users of [[cladistics]] and has led to the [[PhyloCode]] being proposed. | Do note that rank is relative, and restricted to the particular scheme used. For example, [[liverworts]] have been grouped, in various systems of classification, as a family, order, or a class. The use of ranks is challenged by users of [[cladistics]] and has led to the [[PhyloCode]] being proposed. | ||
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[[Category:Phylogenetics]] | [[Category:Phylogenetics]] | ||
Latest revision as of 04:58, 13 September 2006
A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). Once named, a taxon will usually have a rank and can be placed at a particular level in a hierarchy.
A broad scheme of ranks in hierarchical order:
A prefix is used to indicate a ranking of lesser importance. The prefix super- indicates a rank above, the prefix sub- indicates a rank below. In zoology the prefix infra- indicates a rank below sub-. For instance:
- Superclass
- Class
- Subclass
- Infraclass
Do note that rank is relative, and restricted to the particular scheme used. For example, liverworts have been grouped, in various systems of classification, as a family, order, or a class. The use of ranks is challenged by users of cladistics and has led to the PhyloCode being proposed.
| Topics in phylogenetics |
|---|
| Relevant fields: phylogenetics | computational phylogenetics | molecular phylogeny | cladistics |
| Basic concepts: synapomorphy | phylogenetic tree | phylogenetic network | long branch attraction |
| Phylogeny inference methods: maximum parsimony | maximum likelihood | neighbour joining | UPGMA |
