1. Scientists or researchers who practice phenetics, a method of biological classification based on overall similarity of observable characteristics rather than evolutionary relationships.
Usage: plural form of pheneticist; technical term used in biology and taxonomy; also called numerical taxonomists

Examples

• Pheneticists developed computer-based methods to compare organisms based on measurable traits.
• In the 1960s and 1970s, pheneticists challenged traditional evolutionary classification systems.
• The pheneticists argued that classification should rely on overall similarity rather than inferred ancestry.
• Modern pheneticists use statistical analysis to group organisms by their observable characteristics.
• The debate between pheneticists and cladists shaped modern taxonomy.