A propos de l'emploi controversé du terme «monophylétique» : nouvelles propositions

Abstract

In view of the absence of a general agreement between systematists of the evolutionary or synthetic «school » and of the cladist «school» as to the meaning of the word «monophyletic », and of the confusions created by this absence of consensus, it is here suggested to abandon this term and to use only terms on the definition of which all taxinomists should agree, such as : «holophyletic» (Ashlock's term, synonym of «monophyletic» in cladists' usage) ; «paraphyletic» ; «polyphyletic» (or «hetero-phyletic») ; «homophyletic» (new term, for the category called «monophyletic» in synthetists' usage, i. e. both holophyletic and paraphyletic) ; and «merophyletic» (new term, for all groups rejected by cladists, i.e. both paraphyletic and polyphyletic). Etymologies and definitions are provided for all these terms, some of which will be found useful by all systematists, some by synthetists only, and some by cladists only.