in cladistic analysis. The use of multiple outgroups is preferable because it provides a more robust phylogeny, buffering against poor outgroup candidates. If one outgroup taxon is designated as the root and the others are included simply as additional taxa in the analysis, this provides a test of the ingroup's hypothesized monophyly.

To qualify as an outgroup, a taxon must satisfy the following two characteristics:

*It must not be a member of the ingroup.
*It must be related to the ingroup, closely enough so that its character

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