what is phylogeny
Phylogeny, the history of the evolution of a species or group, especially in reference to lines of descent and relationships among broad groups of organisms. 1  Fundamental to phylogeny is the proposition, universally accepted in the scientific community, that plants or animals of different species descended from common ancestors.
slide 1 of 4. Phylogeny is the evolutionary history of a characteristic, individual, population, species, or group of species. It is most often depicted as a branching tree analogous to a family tree. The complete phylogeny tree for all living organisms is called the Tree of Life, a metaphor dating back over 100 years.