n. A branching, treelike diagram in which the endpoints of the branches represent individual species of organisms. It is used to illustrate phylogenetic relationships and to show points at which various species are presumed to have diverged from common ancestral forms. [Greek klados, branch + -GRAM.] ![]() (click for a larger image) cladograma cladogram of the hominoids, showing that chimpanzees and gorillas are more closely rleated to humans than are orangutans and gibbons |
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