What is a cladogram and what is not?

Abstract

The origins and meanings of “cladogram” are reviewed. Traditionally, “cladogram” has been defined as a graphical representation of an empirical hypothesis of relationships among taxa, based on evidence from synapomorphies alone. Disturbingly, numerous recent authors treat “cladogram” as synonymous with “dendrogram” and do not appreciate the particular methodological connotations of the former term. This is lamented.