Phylogenetic network classes through the lens of expanding covers

Abstract

It was recently shown that a large class of phylogenetic networks, the `labellable' networks, is in bijection with the set of `expanding' covers of finite sets. In this paper, we show how several prominent classes of phylogenetic networks can be characterised purely in terms of properties of their associated covers. These classes include the tree-based, tree-child, orchard, tree-sibling, and normal networks.