How do scientists classify using cladistics?

1 Answer
Oct 26, 2016

Scientists that use cladistics start with the assumption that Neo Darwinism is absolutely correct and group organisms by their proposed evolutionary relationships.

Explanation:

traditional classification was based on similarities of morphology or body structures that can be observed.

Clads are groups of animals that can be assumed to have common descent. The cladist's seek to trace the modification of the DNA believed to have given rise to the changes between groups of animals.

Thus scientists using cladistic are trying to establish evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms.