Parsimony analysis is a method used in phylogenetics to infer evolutionary relationships between species based on molecular or morphological data. The idea behind parsimony analysis is that the simplest explanation is usually the best. In this case, the simplest explanation refers to the tree with the fewest number of evolutionary changes required to explain the observed data.
To conduct a parsimony analysis, researchers first construct a set of possible trees that depict different branching patterns for the species being studied. They then score each tree based on how many evolutionary changes are required to explain the observed data, such as DNA sequences or physical characteristics.
The most parsimonious tree is the one with the fewest number of evolutionary changes needed to fit the data. This approach follows Ockham’s razor principle that states that when given multiple explanations for a phenomenon, it is best to choose the simplest one that requires fewer assumptions.
Overall, parsimony analysis provides an objective and quantitative way to infer evolutionary relationships between species using available genetic or morphological data.




