lab 10 Evolution and the Fossil Record Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts of evolution, natural selection, speciation, and the fossil record based on the provided lecture notes.

Evolution

The central theory in biology that refers to change in organisms across generations and explains the origin of species.

Natural selection

The primary mechanism of evolutionary change that explains adaptation and was proposed by Alfred Russell Wallace and Charles Darwin in 1858.

Charles Darwin

Biologist who developed the theory of natural selection after his voyage on the HMS Beagle and published the book The Origin of Species in 1859.

Alfred Russell Wallace

Biologist who independently developed the theory of natural selection during his travels in Indonesia.

Mechanisms of evolution

The four main processes that drive change: natural selection, mutation, random genetic drift, and migration.

Heritability

The observation that characteristics of organisms are passed from parents to offspring.

Biston betularia

The scientific name for the peppered moth, a classic case study on natural selection regarding body color during the industrial revolution.

Endemic species

Native species that do not exist anywhere else.

Allopatric speciation

The formation of new species that occurs when populations become geographically isolated.

Cranial index

A measurement of the proportion of the skull calculated by the formula: $\frac{\text{Cranial width}}{\text{Facial width}} \times 100$.

Facial extension index

An index measuring how much the face and jaw project forward, calculated as: $\frac{\text{Facial extension length}}{\text{Skull length}} \times 100$.

Dental formula

A description of the number of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars on one side of the upper and lower jaws (e.g., $2 \times 1 \times 3 \times 3$).

Brow ridge

A mass of bone above the orbit of the eyes, also known as the supraorbital ridge.

Sagittal crest

A thin ridge of bone running front to back on top of the skull which serves for the attachment of chewing muscles.

Foramen magnum index

An index indicating the position of the skull opening, which relates to the animal's posture and type of locomotion. Formula: $\frac{\text{Foramen magnum distance}}{\text{Ventral cranium length}} \times 100$.

Relative brain size

The size of the brain cavity relative to the body, calculated as cranial capacity divided by the average height of the animal multiplied by 100.

Phylogenetic tree

A graph depicting evolutionary relationships where branch tips represent species and nodes represent speciation events.

Paleontologists

Scientists who study fossils to learn about the anatomy and history of past life on Earth.

Mass extinction

An event in which more than $50\%$ of species disappear.

Mesozoic Era

The era dominated by reptiles (including dinosaurs), spanning the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Permian-Triassic extinction

The largest mass extinction event in Earth's history.

K-T extinction

The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction which took place marking the end of the dinosaurs.

Trilobites

Arthropods from the Paleozoic Era that existed for approximately 300 million years.

Transitional fossils

Fossils that bridge the gap between two distinct types of organisms by possessing characteristics of both.

Archaeopteryx

A famous transitional fossil that shows the evolution of birds from reptiles, possessing both avian and reptilian characteristics.