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Some helpful evolutionary vocab <3 Relevant to Chapters 19 and 20 of Campbell: Biology in Focus (AP Version)
Phylogeny
The evolutionary history of a species or group of related species.
Natural Selection
In which individuals with certain inherited traits are more likely to go on to reproduce. Survival of the fittest
Charles Darwin
A scientist credited for his theory of natural selection, along with his studies of evolution. Did not discover evolution.
Binomial nomenclature
The naming system for organisms in which an organism is labelled for their genus and their specific epithet.
Monophyletic Groups
Equivalent to a clade, a phylogenetic tree in which an ancestor and all of its descendants aqre displayed.
Paraphyletic Groups
A phylogenetic tree that has a common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants
Polyphyletic Groups
A group of organisms that don’t necessarily have a close common ancestor.
Clade
A group of species that includes an ancestor and all of its descendants.
Basal Taxon
The species that branches from a phylogenetic tree first. Outermost species.
Sister Taxon
Species that is most closely related to another species.
Rooted
Describes a phylogenetic tree that starts at a branch point.
Homologous Structures
Similar structures in different species due to shared ancestry.
Vestigial Structures
A feature that an organism has that is a remnant of a structure that served a purpose for the organism’s ancestors.
Taxonomy
The discipline of naming and classifying various forms of life.
Fossil Record
History of life as documented by fossils.
Direct Observation
Method of collecting data in which the researcher watches without getting involved.
Biogeography
Study of geographic distribution of species.
Endemic Species
A species confined to a certain geographic area.
Biochemical similarity
Similarities between nucleic acids and proteins in different organisms.
Embryonic Homologies
Similarities between species that are found early in development.
Linnaean Classification System
Hierarchical system of classification of nature. Includes 8 taxa.
Domain
Consists of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Above Kingdom
Kingdom
Below domain but above phyla. Number of categories is debated.
Phyla
Below kingdom but above class.
Class
Below phyla but above order.
Order
Below class but above family.
Family
Below order but above genus.
Genus
Below family but above species.
Morphology
Deals with the form of living creatures.
Maximum parsimony
Principle that states that the simplest explanation should be investigated first.
Convergent Evolution
The development of similar features in independent evolutionary lineages.
Analogy
Similarities between two species that is due to convergent evolution rather than shared ancestry
Species
Below genus. The 8th level of Linnaean Classification. Consists of organisms that are able to create fertile offspring with each other.
Note 
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