FigTree For Mac

FigTree is a Java-based application designed to provide you with the set of tools needed to visualize phylogenetic trees on a Mac.

The app is able to generate graphical representations for phylogenetic trees created by the BEAST application, comes with a user-friendly GUI, and enables you to make the illustrations ready for publication.

In ordinary terms, FigTree creates diagrams that show the similarities and differences between the genetic structure of various biological species in order to find a common ancestor.

The app enables you to visualize the phylogenetic trees in the center area of its main window, while a panel placed on the left side allows you to adjust the representation’s layout, structure, appearance, and so on.

Moreover, the top window toolbar offers you the possibility to rotate the tree, reroot a brach, make text annotations, change the color or highlight certain parts of the tree-chart, and so on.

FigTree offers you the possibility to switch between different viewing modes when analyzing phylogenetic trees: rectangular, polar, or radial tree layout. Note that, within the Layout panel you can also customize the look of your diagram by tweaking the curvature, root length, expansion, magnification level, or apply a “Fish Eye” effect so your charts will better fit into the main window.

You can export the tree diagrams in publication-ready formats, such as tree files, PDF documents, or image file formats such as JPG, PNG, or SVG. Also, for your convenience FigTree brings to the table a Search tool that enables you to find elements using specific tags such as: node age, branch length, taxon label, height, length and more.

All in all, FigTree offers a simple, yet competent approach for the creation and management of phylogenetic trees, thus, providing a helpful solution for researchers all over the world in fields such as bioinformatics and comparative phylogenetics.