Tree of Life

Tree of Life: An Interactive Explorer of the Phylogeny of Living Organisms

Tree of Life is a comprehensive and interactive application designed to provide users with an extensive overview of the phylogenetic relationships among living organisms. This app offers an engaging and educational experience, presenting a detailed family-level phylogeny that encompasses over 7000 families, spanning from bacteria to vertebrates.

Features and Interactivity

The Tree of Life App is packed with interactive features that allow users to explore and understand the vast diversity of life on Earth. Users can zoom in or out to navigate through the expansive tree structure, which includes thousands of taxonomic families. Tapping on icons reveals taxon-associated metadata, such as taxon names and common names, and provides quick access to Wikipedia articles (an internet connection is required for this feature).

Users also have the option to collapse clades into single branches, making it easier to summarize or hide unnecessary details. The app enables visualizing subtrees of special interest, and a powerful search function allows users to locate specific organisms using either common or scientific names (up to the family level). Additionally, a time scale helps users infer divergence dates among lineages and extinction dates for fossil families.

Comprehensive and Up-to-Date Content

The app's content is regularly updated to incorporate the latest scientific findings, ensuring that it always reflects the most current understanding of evolutionary relationships. A full list of references supports the phylogenetic arrangements displayed in the tree, providing users with reliable and credible information.

Tree of Life App not only serves as an educational tool but also as a valuable resource for researchers and enthusiasts interested in exploring the intricate web of life on our planet.