Phylogenetics

• Phylogeny - The grouping of organisms based on their evolutionary relationships using common ancestry
• Advantages of phylogenetic over hierarchal

  Evolutionary relationships rather than characteristics

  Allows continuum

  Gives a better impression of time
• Methods of classifying organisms based on evolutionary relationships

  Compare base sequence of DNA or mRNA

  Compare amino acid sequences of proteins

  Immunology comparisons - similar proteins bind to similar antibodies