Image from Kevin Williams (copyright; used with permission)
In naturally evolved organisms, the concept of biological cladistics has come to signify the reappraisal of taxonomy using molecular biology and genetic relationships. Although early taxonomists such as Linnaeus and Darwin arranged species, genera, family and orders into family trees according to physical similarities, these trees were subsequently re-arranged due to analysis of the genetic relationships shown by their DNA. Among terragen mammals, for instance, the old taxonomic groupings such as Archonta were replaced by newer biological clades such as the Euarchontoglires, because of evidence of closer relationships on a genetic level.
Cladistics on a sophontological level can't be so precise, because almost all the new forms of sophont that have emerged in the Terragen Sphere since the Interplanetary Age are artificial, and often adopt characteristics that have been copied from other quite different morphologies and mindtypes. It is problematic to construct a family tree for any modosophont in the OA Current Era, because so many factors need to be included. Instead of a tree, sophont cladistics is more like a network, or a matrix.
Characteristics that are included in the development of a new sophont clade, morphology or mindtype may be directly adapted from clades which are commonplace in the locality and period in which they have emerged. On the other hand, characteristics which have been long unused and stored as data may resurface years (or millennia) later, or in a location far from their origin, if they are considered desirable. Other characteristics may be invented de novo from scratch, or developed by observing the characteristics of an alien lifeform on a newly discovered planet, or reconstructed from palaeontological evidence on a long-dead world.
In the current use of the term, a typical sophont clade shares a common template, which often represents the convergence of a large number of different useful physical, informational and psychological characteristics which can work together to produce a viable individual or group of individuals.
Image from Arik
Members of a particular sophontological clade generally differ in certain significant respects from other clades, in terms of morphotypic, toposophic, cultural, religio-ideologico-memetic, and phylotoposophic characteristics. On the other hand a significant number of clades have come to resemble one another closely, either by convergent evolution or by deliberate imitation and reverse engineering.
Although clades often share a distinct origin in a particular time and place, it is also usually possible to join a clade by adopting the qualities of that clade using uploading, engeneration, biotechnology or other forms of comprehensive modification. In the Current Era it is commonplace for a modosphont to change their physical form and their psychological and toposophical mindtype in order to adopt a new form, and they can move from one sophontological clade to another with relative ease. However not all citizens of the Terragen Sphere take advantage of this ability, and some clades decline to accept new members or require them to undergo a wide range of requirements, tests, ceremonies or ordeals before they are fully accepted.
Adaptationism - Text by Anders Sandberg The view that people should not adopt planets to suit themselves, but instead adapt to the planet. Adaptationists generally have a distaste for terraforming projects, or opt for only minimal terraforming, but instead prefer to use pantropy.
Cladism (bias) - Text by Stephen Inniss An a priori bias for or against a particular clade of sophonts. As with bioism, mechanism, racism, and other such biases, this varies from a relatively benign admiration for or promotion of particular clades through to programs of enslavement or genocide.
Cladism (provolutionist) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev A preference for or tendency towards evolving into clades and sub-clades.
Cladogram (evolution) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev Branching diagram that depicts divergence of the analysed taxa from their common ancestors. It shows the distribution and origins of unique shared characteristics (synapomorphies and autapomorphies), as well as their monophyly. A testable hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships.
Cladogram (sophontology) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev A precisely and scientifically organized matrix showing the various technological and biological characteristics which have been incorporated into the morphology and mindtype of a particular sophontological phyle or clade, tracing the connections of ancestry and descendants. The Genen are renowned for their elaborately decorated interactive cladograms.
Clan - Text by M. Alan Kazlev A clade or phyle, or more often, a sub-clade or sub-phyle. In some polities clan-links form the basis for much social interaction, political allegiance, government machinations, etc.
Dendrosequoia sapiens - Text by Steve Bowers 150 meter high sophont trees with biocomputronium cores; developed in the Biopolity and have spread to many worlds. Revered as spiritual leaders in some parts of the Sophic League.
Gross Clade Product (GCP) - Text by John B A common numerical economic measure of the productivity of a specific clade. The acronym can also represent the Gross Civilization Product when referring to larger organizations of multiple clades.
Harrroh - Text by M. Alan Kazlev One of the most respected species of sufants, originally descended from Indian elephants. Most live on the terraformed planets of Yhrraini and Jhairrn in the (Utopia Sphere). They are widely admired as philosophers, playwrights, and artists.
Hrruuaiih - Text by M. Alan Kazlev One of the most successful sufant clades, developed from African elephants, they have established a competitive sapient culture based on Hhrraiirah and a number of colony worlds. Bioborgization is common.
Phyle - Text by M. Alan Kazlev A major category of sentient beings, as defined by one or a few basic but distinctive qualities, not necessarily connected by ancestry — a biont, relativist, cycler, vec, bioborg, or some similarly large group of varying descent.
Space People - Text by M. Alan Kazlev [1] (archaic) A common early term for Space Adapted Humans, still used by some descendants of the original clade. [2] (Integration period) A term for vacuum adapted tweaks, now rarely used.