سامانه‌شناسی

Also known as systematics (biology), biosystematics, systematic zoology

thumb|400px|A comparison of phylogenetic and phenetic (character-based) concepts Systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees (synonyms: phylogenetic trees, phylogenies). Phylogenies have two components: branching order (showing group relationships, graphically represented in cladograms) and branch length (showing amount of evolution). Phylogenetic trees of species and higher taxa are used to study the evolution of traits (e.g., anatomical or mol