The cohort matrix is important for interpreting and visualizing
macroevolutionary dynamics. Each entry [i, j] of the cohort matrix is
the probability that taxon i and taxon j share a common
macroevolutionary rate regime. To compute this, we simply tabulate the
percentage of samples from the posterior where taxon i and taxon j
were placed in the same rate regime. If there is no rate heterogeneity
in the dataset (e.g., the data are best explained by a single rate
regime), then all species will tend to share the same rate regime and
all values of the cohort matrix will approach 1.
A value of 0 between any two taxa means that at least one rate shift
occurred on the nodal path connecting them in 100% of samples from
the posterior. A value of 0.50 would imply that 50% of samples from
the posterior included a rate shift on the path connecting taxa i and
j. See below (Examples) for an illustration of this.