Does a Clade Have to Be a Monophyletic Group?

A clade is by definition monophyletic, meaning that it contains one ancestor (which can be an organism, a population, or a species) and all its descendants. The ancestor can be known or unknown; any and all members of a clade can be extant or extinct.

Is clade a monophyletic group?

A monophyletic group, sometimes called a clade, includes an ancestral taxon and all of its descendants.

Why must a clade contain monophyletic group?

A clade (also known as a monophyletic group) is a group of organisms that includes a single ancestor and all of its descendents. Clades represent unbroken lines of evolutionary descent.