Graph families defined by their automorphisms | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
distance-transitive | → | distance-regular | ← | strongly regular |
↓ | ||||
symmetric (arc-transitive) | ← | t-transitive, t ≥ 2 | skew-symmetric | |
↓ | ||||
(if connected) vertex- and edge-transitive |
→ | edge-transitive and regular | → | edge-transitive |
↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ||
vertex-transitive | → | regular | → |
(if bipartite) biregular |
↑ | ||||
Cayley graph | ← | zero-symmetric | asymmetric |
In the mathematical field of graph theory, an edge-transitive graph is a graph G such that, given any two edges e1 and e2 of G, there is an automorphism of G that maps e1 to e2.
In other words, a graph is edge-transitive if its automorphism group acts transitively upon its edges.
Edge-transitive graphs include any complete bipartite graph , and any symmetric graph, such as the vertices and edges of the cube. Symmetric graphs are also vertex-transitive (if they are connected), but in general edge-transitive graphs need not be vertex-transitive. The Gray graph is an example of a graph which is edge-transitive but not vertex-transitive. All such graphs are bipartite, and hence can be colored with only two colors.
An edge-transitive graph that is also regular, but not vertex-transitive, is called semi-symmetric. The Gray graph again provides an example. Every edge-transitive graph that is not vertex-transitive must be bipartite and either semi-symmetric or biregular.