Phylogenies and History of Life

Analogy

Characteristic that is similar between organisms by convergent evolution, not due to the same evolutionary path

Basal taxon

Branch on a phylogenetic tree that has not diverged significantly from the root ancestor

Binomial nomenclature

Susie if two-part scientific names for organisms, which includes genus and species names

Branch point

Node on a phylogenetic tree where a single lineage splints into distinct new ones

Cladistics

System to organize homologous traits to describe phylogenies

Class

Divisors of phylum in the taxonomic classification system

Gene transfer agent (GTA)

Bacteriophage-like particle that transfers random genomic segments from one species of prokaryote to another

Genome fusion

Fusion of two prokaryotic genomes, presumably by endosymbiosis

Molecular systematics

Technique using molecular evidence to identify phylogenetic relationships

Phylogeny

Evolutionary history and relationship of an organism or group of organisms

Polytomy

Branch on a phylogenetic tree with more than two groups or taxa

Shared ancestral character

A characteristic on a phylogenetic tree that all organisms on the tree share

Shared derived character

Describes a characteristic in a phylogenetic tree that only a certain clade of organisms share

Sister taxa

Two lineage that diverge from the same branch point

Systematics

Field of organizing and classifying organisms based on evolutionary relationships

Taxon

Single level in the taxonomic classification system

Taxonomy

Science of classifying organisms

Web of life

Phylogenetic model that attempts to incorporate the effects of horizontal gene transfer on evolution