AP Biology Evolution Vocab

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.